The National tribune., 1907-06-27

same is tr.ie Of the monarchical coun-
tries Of Eprope, where any portion of
the peopleamaS at any time be remand
ed to their r,forpper condition and denied
all participati9n in political matters. The
Car of RusSja rules absolutely and
without Any Other restrictions than
those he may impose upon himself over
everybody I'M Russia. The people are
created for him. and they have a right
to nothinsdin the world. not even their
own lives, except what he may give
them.
A Startling New Doctrine.
Unless we stkdy this matter carefully
we cannors comprehend how startling
and revolutionary was the doctrine 2
enunciated in the Declaration of Inde-
pendence that Governments are created
for the benefit of the governed and de-
rive their Just powers from the consent
of the governed This was the most
important incident in human develop
ment since the birth of Christ, and was
a direct corollary of the Savior's teach-
ings. Jesus Christ taught the Brother
hood of Man and F'atherhood of God,
with all men on an equality before their
Maker. The Declaration of Independ-
ence asserted political equality as
complete as Christ's spiritual equality.
Instead of a Government beginning with
a King and being wholly of him, for
him and by. him. a Government was
made to begin with a man, who was
entitled to certain natural and inalien-
able rights to secure and preserve which
the Government was instituted. 1t was
absolutely subverSive of principles upon
which ali the Governments in the world
up to that time had been constructed.
1t started mankind out upon a per-
fectly new path of development and
electrified the world with the affirma-
ton of principles which have ever since
been gaining greater hold upon the
mind of mankind. So important was
this effect that it transcends even the
great. result achieved by the separation
of the Colonies from Great Britain ana
the marvellous development of the Unit
ed States into world power. While it
is probable that If we had retained our
connection with Great Britain we might
have grown rapidly. yet the enunciation
of this doctrine and the success of our
forefathers in maintaining it are vastly
more important than the separation.
The marvellous growth which has
come upon the Nation that made that
its guiding principle has been such as
to deeply impress the worlds thought
and radically change the status of man
kind almost everywhere. Even in the
remOter parts of the world the condi-
ton of the people has been improved
very greatly by the ideas which have
developed from the American. Declara-
ton of Independence. It's first fruits
were the French Revolution, which fol-
lowed almost Immediately upon the
demonstration Of the American Colonies
being able to maintain their theory Of
Government. With all it's deplorable
excesses the French Revolution greatly
ameliorated the condition not only of
the French people. but of all the people
of western Europe, and we can place
lat N f1.l Hf hg.1A
stand taken for the highest human
rights in the Declaration of Independ-
ence.
This is sufficient reason why the 4th
of July should BE celebrated and why II
should be regarded as an event in hui
man histopt second only in importance
to the crucffxion on Mount Calvary.
HIstqryof the Declaration.
There was at first little thought of in
dependence, on the part of the colonists,
and those few ,who spoke in favor of
such a thing were sharply condemned.
The English colpnists had always insist
ed that they had lost none of their
rights by migTating to America; they
We're still free born Englishmen, who
had the right ,to personal liberty, pri-
vate property and representation in the
body whicb Imposed. the taxes. 1t was
practically, impossible for them to be
=
wanted th&irI.taxes imposed by their
own Colonial Legislature Their theory
was that the British Empire was
confederation under the King. The
Parliament OF Great Britain had right
full jurisdiction over England, Scotland
and Wales, each of which was repre-
sented there. 1T had no control over
Ireland since, that country had Par
Lament of its own, and the British Par
lament had no more right to impose
taxation on. ireland than it had on
Scotland before the Union. Nor had
it power over the provinces of jersey,
Guernsey and those of North America.
Hanover was also part of the British
Empire, but Parliament had no power
over it. Franklin said:
The British Legislature are un-
doubtedly the only proper judges of
what concerns the welfare of that State:
the Irish Legislature are the proper
judges of what concerns the Irish State.
and the American Legislatures of what
concerns the American States. respect
lively"
He protested against the use of tho
word colonies as implying that they
We're dependencies and not separate
parts of the British Empire. Blu. there
were many things beside taxation which
entered into the enlightenment of the
situation. The navigation act confined
all trade to British ships, the colonies
were prohibited from trading with one
another, and from exporting their wool,
yarn or Woolen manufactures to any
place. iron furnaces and forges were
declared public nuisanceS and were
suppressed by the Governors. The POI
sition taken by the colonies was sup
ported by a large party in Parliament
headed by the eloquent William Pitt,
Earl OF Chatham.
The Caivinistic Churches for Indcpenh-
The armies of the Revolution were
first mustered to resist the execution
of what were held to be unjust and un-
constitutional laws and nothing further
was expected from such a resistance
than to awaken the British people tc
Il sense Of the injustice and bring about
a removal of the grievances. From
April 10, fI75, until July 4, 1776. the
Empire with the colonies as a part OF
III. as King. The thought of independ.-
England afd i'm certain parts of Vir-
ginia and North Carolina. The people
of New York. New Jersey, Pennsrl-
yania, Delaware, Maryland, South Car
olina and Georgia and of the tide-watcr
regions of North Carolina and Virginia
we're strongly attached TO the British
ent and obstinately opposed to-
any thought of secession. Into the Pied
mont and nltasssain regions of North
Carolina, Virginia and Pennsylvania
and into New tE,TsgIand had come. how
ever, after the suppression of the re-
belIion Of l745,. hosts of PreSbyt erians