The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-03-10
IA MESTOWN MILITANT BZRTHDAY

ent, included, as the first advancement
of the Kingdom of God.
The work of the church was supple
mentel by the early institution in Vir-
gnia OF the family. The practice of d.
vorce, stoo, frequent and unjustifiable
dsrupting family ties, has not broken
seriously the vast number of homes,
wherein the family life makes the stabil-
ity of this nation.
Good governors settled the proper re-
lation of the colonists toward those in
authority and a rightful intercourse
among men; and. when venal rulers broke
those established associations, protest and
resistance followed. Had the government,
proceeding from the crown, fallen con-
tinuously into the hands Of competent
and good men and brought uniform good
results, a representative system would
have been long postponed. In 1919 there
met at jamestown the first legislative
assembly of America. 1t consisted of
twenty-five members of each from eleven
boroughs. One of the first acts of that
| assembly was to insist upon the prin
cple of the Declaration of Rights of 1776,
| to exclusive or separate emoluments or
| privileges from the community but in
| consideration of public services. The
| colony came to the first stage of civil
and religious freedom and of progress
| through representative government at a
| time when, in England, parliamentary
! legislation had been disused during some
vets under the rule of James the First.
| Then began the colonists' struggle be-
| tween a representative government of
the people and personal rule There were
| times of protest and rebellion against
| governmental wrong, the subdivision of
law and tyrannous absorption and mis-
| use of power by governors. Such was the
| instruction led by Nathaniel Bacon, Jr,
| in 1876, just a century before the Amer
| icaa revolution.
| Where the people elect their rulers and
male the laws, the government will re-
| fleet the character and attainments of
| the people. and a country will be even
| tu7lly in moral and governmental stand
ards what it's people demand. The first
representative government at jamestown
+; antedated all others in this country; the
/ DtSlnulIB VI TIE tOililcl DttWten per
| sonal and popular control From that
| time to the present day there has been
a struggle for good government of the
| people. Through that contest there has
| been exemplified in our colonial and ma
| tional life every phase of culture en-
! terprise. heroism and sacrifice. The
| church has taught the observance of the
| precepts of the religion of Christ Legis-
| lation has given sanction to high prin-
| cipies. In jurisprudence. diplomacy and
| international relations the course of our
| nation is marked by justice and gener-
| osity Education and science illumined the
| path of progress In military annals,
| Washington leads the long line of heroes.
| The story of the navy beams with the
! light of illustrious names. Every con-
| fiict Of war or peace in which our coun-
try has been engaged CLOVIS with pictures
| of splendid courage. In all lines of eff
! fort. though obstacles and evils lie in
| the way. the goal is a true service and
! advancement of our country.
| Such are the results which had their
beginnings in the colony of jamestown.
! which we are accustomed to think OF
! as the birthplace of the American ma
ton. The wonderful story, momentous in
F, TIL, history of the world, is worthy of
| national illustration and commemoration
| and of the sympathy and participation
of all civilized people. 1t Is the object of
! the jamestown Ter-Centennial exposition
to organize an appropriate celebration of
| those great events in the history of our
| &C untry and progress Of the world.
| As the character and eope of the sx-
position have not been always correctly
| appreciated. it may be we'll to state its
! purposes as officially declared and then
| to inquire how the actual preparations
and arrangements fulfill the original high
| objects of commemoration. The charter
granted by the state of Virginia to the
| Jamestown Exposition company on March
| 10, 1902 recited in the preamble inter ala:
ut is the desire and purpose of the
people of this commonwealth to fitting
lily commemorate the third centennial OF