Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1905-07-04

of civic dignity and progress within
the English race ever since Magma
Charta."
Prof Tyler goes on to say: IF the
Declaration Of Independence is nowN to
be fairly judged by us, 1t must DE
judged with reference to what it vas
intended to be-namely, an impas-
stoned manifesto of one party, and
that the weaker party, in violent race
| quarrel; of a party resolved at last
upon the extremity of a revolution,
and already menaced by the inconceiv-
able disaster of being defeated in the
very act of armed rebellion against
the mightiest military power IN
earth" And here is a scholars vindi-
cation, If vindication be needed. for
the pride taken by the average Amer
lean in his declaration: "Jeffegson
gathered up the thoughts and emSJions
and even the characteristic phEases of
the people for whom he wrote n and
these he perfectly Incorporated with
what was already in his mind, and
| then to the music Of his own keen.
rich, passionate and enkindling style,
he mustered them into that stately
triumphant procession wherein. as
some Of us still think. they will 60
marching on to the worlds end"
But to speak of other declarations
connected with our early history. We
may mention the colonial bill of
rights Q77D. the declaration of
rights by Virginia MAY 81, 1870. and
the more or less traditional Mecklen-
burg declaration of North Carolina,
which, If authentic, antedated by more
than a year the one signed at Phila-
delphia.
North Carolina displayed faith in
the existence of such declaration by
(1831) setting aside a state holiday in
celebration of this great deed. His
torians disagree as to the Mecklenburg
declaration, and we can but give the
story as it is related, details gathered
from here and there. It Is stated that
the people Of Mecklenburg county were
called upon in the spring Of 1775 to
appoint delegates to a convention
where were to be devised ways and
means for helping the harassed EeeDOle
OF Boston. Immediately after OK bat
tie OF Lexington the delegates met at
Charlotte, declared themselves free OF
Great Britain and sworn ITO use every
exertion TO spread the love OF country
and fire Of freedom throughout Amer
lea. until more general and organ
lied government be established In thim
province" 1t was not until 1918 a copy
OF the alleged declaration was given
to The public. and then bitter contro-
versy arose; as a writer IN Harper'a
ENCYCLOPEDIAS OF American History
remarks. There was a general demand
for proof concerning such an imp,ks-
tant event that had been allowedKt
slumber more than 20 years.
In the spring Of 1776 presentation
WIS made to the Virginia convention
Of declaration of rights, and on June
IL It was unanimously adopted. Less
than month later we have the Amer
lean declaration, the expression of the
10 colonies Al this congress It took
no small discussion 30 win unant-
nous vote, although from the first IL
was evident a majority Of the colonists
were In favor of Independence. The
I'd ct July pros ana cons Jew back
and forth, but the resolution was
passed on that day. On~> the Sd
there was more heated argumARt, sud
denly brought 10 a close byllword of
the arrival at Sandy Hook OF a for
midabie British armament On the
Fourth, the unanimous vote OF tho
coionSea adopted the Declaration OF In
dependence.
Wa all remember thu declaration Of
coAonial rights. formulated In tho first
continental congress (177t), In which
were set forth the needs and rights Of
the colonista, ~the neutral born sub I.
jects Of England TIA Fourth OF
July declaration bosdly breaks tia
bond.
A.. "a EifG wATHmnugB RoRR