The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-03-02
GEORGE BUCHANAN.
ON SCOTTISH POET BY
 ". c. MINTOSH.

Given Under the Auspices of the New
 Haven Caledonia Club Friday Night Secretary Mcintosh Gives a Spleneid
 Outline of Buchanan's Life, .Princi- pIes and Writings.
 At the New Haven Caledonian club rooms, 400 State street, Thursday night the Scottish people of the city turned out in large numbers to listen to an ad- dress on George Buchanan" by MT. w. c. Mcintosh. MT. Mcintosh said that although he had spoken on a for mer occasion on this subject, he chose the same topic at this time, because he desired to remove a nisconeeption that seemed to be imbedded in the minds of Scotsmen generally in regard to George Buchanan. "It was only within a few years" he continued, that Scotsmen were ascertaining something of his life and work. The principal reason for this was that so much of both were outside of his own native land. On ac- count of the condition whicht made his European reputation, lie seems to have forfeited his proper place in the present intellectual dIife of his country
 MT. Mcintosh gave simple outline of BuchanSn's life, bringing into relief his principal work. He spoke Of the stir he made in the religious world of his time caused by his satires, especial ly aimed against the Franciscan order of Monks.
 The poems of Buchanan, especially the metrical translation of the Psalms of David into Latin, were taken Up in detail. In regard to the latter he sta- ted that 1t had the unqualified endorse- ment of John Knox, Martin Luther Melancthon and Justus Jonas. And this endorsement was conceded by all the great scholars throughout the con- tinent of Europe. Even in Buchanans l life time his psalms were introduced into the schools of Germany, and an edition set to music was published, while in Scotland they were made a regular part of Latin reading in the schools until a comparatively recent period
 One part of bis address which com manded special attention was given en- tire, It Is as follows;
 In 1879 Buchanan published his "De lure Regini aped Scotos,' a work which has caused him to be called the father of democracy. His was the in- I itiative that eliminated in the signing luf the Declaration of Independence and the birth of the American Rupublic. This publication was a treatise con cerning the institution of Scotland. upon the principles of government and society. He says that the Scottish peo- pie have always retained and exercised the right of calling bad kings to ac- count and of punishing violence of fered to good ones. The king received authority from the law, not vdce-versa. And as the people made the law, they must possess the power of dealing with l the king who breaks it.
 This book, which taught the doctrine that governments existed for the bene- fit of the governed, was for nearly two hundred years condemned as contain- ing the sum of all heresy and rebellion With the works of Milton 1t was burnt in 1883 at Oxford and again in 1884. But notwithstanding this the doctrine was clearly enunciated. About two hundred years later in the new world, We hold these truths to be self-eyi- dent, that all men are created equal That to secure rights governments are instituted among men, During their just powers from the amount of the governed" Such is the echo of Bt- f chanan's teaching in the Declaration of Independence of the United States of America, There was a very large att Tendance, amongst whom were the Rev. l Robert Bell of st. Paul's P. E. church, and the Rev. D. D. Munro of Calvary church. A discussion took place at the close of the address and MT Mcintosh was rendered a hearty vote of thanks. Previous to the reading of the paper at a meeting of the Ca1edonian club, lAl- exander Cumming, president of the Yale Law School Political club, was elected member.