The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1906-03-30
MARYLAND'S INFLUENCE
with Special Reference 10 the Settle
ment of the Northwest Territory cues
AN ADDRESS


land College, before the Westminster High school.
| ON Maryland Day, March %, 1906.
Mr.. Chairman. Ladies and Gentlemen, and
my Young Friends-the Boys and Girls =
There are some people in our country whom
we call pessimists. They believe that our
country is going to rack and ruin. But if that
class of people we're here to listen to the pa.
| triotic songs, declamations, and essays of our
boys and girls of Maryland they would find
there is no ground for fear. There are lads
| here today who will become men as brave and
| patriotic as any of our fathers; and girls who
viii become women as beautiful and queenly
as any that ever graced the illustrious State of
old Maryland.
What grand State is Marylandl love TO
study her history She was the first of the
Proprietary Colonies Perhaps the greatest
gift of authority ever granted by an English
Sovereign to British favorite was made to
Lord Baltimore in the charter that founded
the PaIatinate Of Marylsnd. The King divested
himself of all authority and control over Mary
land. lie received but two Indian arrows
yearly in recognition of his feudal over lord
ship. Though receiving great authority Lord
Baltimore was required to make laws in con-
junction with the people or their deputies.
Thus was representative government guaran-
teed by this selfsame charter. Moreover,
Maryland was the first OF the English Colonies
to make provisions for religious toleration.
Thus she is worthy of the honor of being the
recognized home of three of the greatest
branches of the Christian church in America
the Roman Catholic. the Methodist Episcopal
aud the Presbyterian. And who can read
without interest the early strife between Leah
and Rachel, as the contentious between Mary
land and Virginia are sometimes called =?
This petty rivalry was not always the most
honorable but it whetted the wit and devel-
opei the courage that enabled Maryland to
play conspicuous part in the War of Inde-
peudence.
With the discovery of America the countries
Of the Old Word became pitied one against
another Tor the possession of the New Cont
nent Spain was first to seize the new terri
tory. From its native temples and mines she
is said to have carried across the seas thou
sand million dollars to in the Golfers of the
home land But what might have enriched
Spain was lost in her futile efforts TO thwart
Professionalism. Spain declined, while France
stole into the heart of the North American
Continent by way Of the St. Lawrence River,
,be Grea; Lakes, the Mississippi, and the Ohio
until she pressed bard upen the mountains.
Then arose that mighty struggle of hundred
years between the Celt and Auglo Saxon.
That was a conflict between the Roman and
Teulonic ideas, between paternalism aud rep
reseutAiive government. between Roman Ca.
tholcism aud Professionalism. How fortunate
for Us that the freer aud better institutions Of
England won, that France was driven from
the continent.
Then came the struggle between the Eng
Eshman Of England and the Englishman Of
America On coming to America the colo
sis,s brought their English political institutions
with them. But in the free soil OF virgin
America these institutions developed toward
true representative government and freedom
more rapidly than in the home land. There
had been, however, some progress in England.
Under George | and George ii the cabinet
system had been established and with it greater
liberty. But George III, when but little
boy. bad been trotted on his mothers knee
aud told. George be King When you grow
up. rule. Don't let others rule in your place.
SO George grew up with the determination to
rule When he became King he determined
TO reesiablish the arbitrary government Of the
old Stuart Kings. George Ill. moreover, was
keen politician. He saw that bis best chance
to begin the process of absolutism in govern
ment was in the New World. Having once
brought the colonies under his absolute power
he might then, by use of these resources, make
himself supreme in England. But he failed
in America, aud he, likewise, failed in Eng,
land The victories Of Saratoga aud Yorktown
were victories for the Englishmen in England
as well as for US. By the American Revolu-
tion the arbitrary power Of George III was
overthrown and greater freedom sprang up
both in America and across the sea. Lord
Byron, the great English poet, paid = parting
tribute TO George III when he said
"A better farmer Ter brushed dew from
lawn;
A worse king never left realm undone.'
The American war at 6rst was war waged
by the colonies in behalf of their rights. There
was little thought OF separation. Soon, how
ever. muiterings we're heard that looked to-
ward independence. Though slow, at first,
Congress, by May, 1916, WAS ready TO go the
whole WAY and declare the suppression OF all
royal authority. A committee was appointed
to drait Declaration of Independence. The
declaration was adopted by majority on July
.. But desiring unanimous vote the decla
ration was rewritten and discussed on the Srd,
and, on the 4th of July, the vote was made
unanimous Later, on August 2, the decara-
ton received the signatures of the majority of
Congress and still later others signed. Thus,
slowly but steadily and surely was separation
from England achieved.
On the day the committee was appointed to
draft Declaration of Independence, another
committee was authorized to devise system
Of Confederation. This committee reported
July y, IT76, but such were the differences of
views that no agreement could be reached be-
fore October .. l777. On this date the Arti-
cles of Confederation were adopted by the
Continental Congress. A month later they
were sent to the various State legislatures for
| ratification. Within fifteen months all the
States had ratified but one. That one State
was Maryland
Why did not Maryland ratify? Was it
lack of patriotism on her part? No, for no
state was more patriotic than Maryland. No
state did more to promote separation and in
dependence, and no state was more anxious
to urge forward some form of national union.
Let us pause u moment to view her record.
There is scarcely battle ground of the Amer
lean Revolution but has been consecrated by
the valor and blood of the old Maryland
Line" We have already heard of the illus
trious Four Hundred, who so bravely held the
British in check, at Long Island, while Wash
incton crossed the Hudson They were the
first upper four hundred" of New York and
methnks the best and greatest of them all.
At Fort Washington, in the retreat across New