Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1906-03-31

trutlOu of others beyond our borders.
and llindlc the enthusiasm Of all who
lOy, free institutions: who believe in a
government of liberty under law, and
are persuaded that our own is the best
example of such government to he
found in the history of the world.
So eminent a statesman as Mr.. Glad
stone SAID "as the British Constitution
Is the most subtle organism which has
proceeded from progressive history, so
the American Constitution is the most
wonderful work ever struck off at Il
given time by the brain and purpose of
man"
We need not feel compclled to ACCEPT
this As equivalent to the declaration
ihat the Constitution of the United
States, like Minerva from the brain of
,Jovr, sprang fulI-grOwn from the "brain
and purpose" of the Convention of l1S1.
We shall choose rather to take the safer
view that it is the best example in his
tory of what has been aptlv called
''evolution from precrdents." " But it
matters little what theory we adopt, it
should not be "A difficult task, | fancy.
to convince those SO fortunate as to live
under its auspices that our Federal Con
stitutiou is what competent critic has
called it, 1.-THE finest specimen of con-
structiye craftsmanship that the world
has ever seen"
If. then. in the pursuit of our theme
we shall succeed in proving that Mary
land played an honorable part in shan
ing the events and guiding the efforts of
the fathers" to give to poSteritv those
blessings of government that we now
eniOv, Whv NAV not her sons and daugh
ters of this day and generation indulge
a Just and wholly pardonable pride in
pointing ont to the world beyond the
results of her brave, wise and noble
work:
Too long our modest little State has
suffered her great deeds to 90 unsung;
too long has she permitted her bright
and ever steady light to be hidden under
Il bushel.
While her people have been ever ready
to give without stint their lust measure
of praise to others, they have sometimes
forgotten to teach the children of their
own households the things that they
should know.
Have WE gazpd SO long and iutently
upon Plymouth Rock, and Faneuil Hall,
aud Bunker Hill, that we can no longer
see the dome of our own little State
House at Anuapolisf
If it could be charged with truth that
we have sometimes shown too little of
that spirit which is said to be able to
raise morIals to the skies, we need
harbor in our breasts no trace of that
other feeling which will drag angels
down.
In contemplating the great deeds of
our sisters among the States, there should
be no room for envy in the heart of any
child of Maryland
She has written her story i'll letters of
gold upon the pages of our national
history civil and religious, colonial,
military and constitutional.
Whether in the councils of peace or
in the bloody conflicts of war, her chill
drcn have stood boldly for the right as
God gave them power to see the right.
"Marvland Day" as vou have seen
from these exercises, is IA day set apart
by the State Board of Education for the
closer study of her splendid history. 1t
is working day, not 'hohdav," that
our children may learn to know what
she has done for them and for mankind
Each year some appropriate subject is
assigned for study and discussion, and
the day must continue to grow in interest
with each recurring anniversary. A
year ago a flood of light was thrown
upon her part in giving to the world the
first real opportunity to worship God as
conscience might dictate, and to-day we
know more of the history of Reliricus
federation than we ever did before,
"Marvland's Influence in Founding a
National Commonwealth, with Especial
Reference to the Settlement of the North
West Territory Question:" is the sub
ject assigned for this anniversary.
To study this topc properly we must
go beyond our own borders into the
wider field of early colonial history
We must study conditions, as they then
existed, in the sister colonies, at the
time when the first uncertain stems were
about to be taken by the Congress- to
form "A Federal plan of government look,
ing TO Il "more perfect union''-those fate,
ful wears from I116 to I1Sg-that "Criti.
cal Period" of our national life from the
Declaration of ndenendenca to the
Adoption of the Constitntiou nf the
United States, There were DANCER
points living between these extremes INT
passing randy over some LET ms tix onr
attention On the first dav nf March I1SI
n MARYLAND day worth rrmemherinn
Held together by an oyerpowering
sense of impendiug danger at the hand ;
of their common enemy dnriuG the
earlier wears of their strnpple for iudn.
prndence. the colonies forgot all minor
differences. As soon. however rs thr
dangers from without bpaan to snhsidn