The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1904-06-04
OLIVER CROMWELL.

In tine history of every nation there
comes a time when that nation is in
such turmoil that it becomes neces-
sary for some man, more just, more
vigorous and more courageous than
| his fellow men, to possess himself OF
| the power of government and to res
cue his native land from anarchy and
| oppression
| Such has been the state of affairs
| in Rome, In France and in America.
| Neither was that great kingdom OF
England to be spared the ordeal and
! horror of a civil war--a war in when
/ friend was pitted against friend, bro
Their against brother, a war which re-
| suited in the advancement OF Engll9h
liberty and justice.
Oliver Cromwell can hardly be
classed with Julius Caesar and Napo
leon Bonaparte. The motives that
prompted both of these men were not
so much love OF country or the wei
fare of the people as greed and lust
for power. Many people have ac-
cused Cromwell of possessing the
same motives. When the revolution
broke out, Cromwell who was then a
member of parliament, might have
been placed In command OF an army,
but he enlisted only as a recruiting
officer. Does this show greed for
power? Backed by such men as
Hampden, an influential Puritan and
a relative, Cromwell might at once
have gained one of the foremost posi-.
lions in the new government. But IT
was only after Selling the magazine
in the castle of Cambridge that he
was referred to as even Captain
Cromwell"
AT this time Hampton was the only
man VINO realized CromWells genus
but when his plans Of raising an army
4 recruited from religious men, instea'
81 hired mercenares, was adopte-
ana proven practicable, people at
once began to realize that in him lay
The future OF England
This was the origin of that superb
body of men called "Ironsides, VINO
afterwards nj Nasehy and Marston
Moor saved England from the eX
travagances and oppression Of a ty
rannical monarch, monarch who be-
lieyed in the "Divine Right OF Kings
and endeavored by force OF arms ana
outrageous persecution 10 maxi
, everyone think as he did. Is Il
any wonder that these brave men
with thoughts of the prosecutions ahe
atrocities they had passed through
ever before them. stirring them OF
to battle. defeated ana scauefe'
heir cnemise before them?
+. AZ the head Of this excellent bod,
r If men Cromwell was rapidly promo
ed, first to lieutenant general ana q
length to communicative OF TN
puritan army. But after the Victor'
!. over the Royalists al Worcnestef
whore The mower Of the Stuarts wa
@ finally crushed, he ceased to be
!. warrior and began to occupy himsei
n with governing the people whom ~
A mad released from the bonds OF op
@ preston.
s Many false accusations wer'
n brought against him by the detama
g tory writer's. who lived in the perio'
following his death. Tho fact that II
a was one OF the judges to sign tn
,. death warrant of the king was def
4 cribel by them as an act OF cruelty
|. and he was designated as an usurT
g Inc reglcide, But, when we make
careful study Of the situation, can "
! wander AT the action OF these judges
j They had been prosecuted by TN
II same line of kings for nearly halt
q century. Could they then be eXpe'
y ted to spare the life OF man wh
* was convicted of treason, merely d.
" cause he was descendant OF one
(" those kings? During the last le
n weeks of his life that intolerant MOI
II arch even protested that they ma
no right to try him, simply pecaoS
re- he was n king.
III And. again, these same prejudice
IS writer's declare that the expulsion
IL The membrs of Parliament by Cron
40 well and his soldierswas rand tyrann
"a This Parliament, a body of fanatic
&c made more fanatlcal by their form'
Is persecution and their sudden acquls
at ton of power, and kept In constal
xe turmoil by internal plots and !
trigues, would soon have despollt
st the whole of England. Cromwell r
eli allied this fact. and with a few
th his faithful soldiers disbanded Parll
Sc ment and proceeded to set mp stror
ch yet liberal government.
For short time he rules as TT
lr- tector. without a Parliament DuriI
CHI this time his generals and admira
M distinguished themselves abroad, al
ly England reached higher pla
le among the nations than she had ev
re before enjoyed Admiral Blake cle'
al ed the Mediterranean sea OF the he
tie of Barbary pirates, and many avn
NJ prosecutions of Protestants were ste
of ped by Cromwell. backed by .
mower of England, a nation ma
eli great and powerful by his energy
of deed, II Cromwell had lived long
If Europe would never have undergo