The Washington herald., 1908-06-28
By RunoLPH DE zAPP.

mas udu SlbnllCdnl luuNence on
the history Of all ages and nations. more
so. probably. than any other day in the
calendar. II has witnessed the birth Of
new nations, scientific discoveries, and the
evolution of new principles. ana il has
also seen the fan of proud monarchies and
the death Of ancient institutions. customs.
and laws. II was on this day that the
Cross triumphed over the Crescent. that
Christianity vanquished the infdel. and
right and justice achieved a signal vic
tory when King John Of England was
compelled by his barons to sign Magma
Charta.' But the crowning achievement
OF this day OF days was reserved for this
hemisphere, when. on the 4th of July. 1176.
the trumpet blast proclaiming liberty and
equality 10 all men was sent re-echoing
throughout the world. Kings trembled
upon their thrones and entire nations
which for ages had groaned under the
most abject tyranny. cheered and encour-
aged by the light Of liberty. have risen in
their manhood and broken the chains OF
oppression.
May the Fourth" continue In its glo-
rious career OF events that are Of benefit
10 all humanity. which history has re-
corded TO its credit as follows:
MOslems Are Defeated.
On the fourth" in 1897. in the battle or
Dorylaeum, in Phrygia. the Moslems un-
der Soliman were defeated by the Crusad-
ers. This battle ended the lighting In
Asia Minor. Soliman was a Persian sui
tan' and was succeeded by Sheik All.
Khan. In the wars Of the Crusaders no
less than 100000 people were killed either
by sickness fire. shipwreck. or famine.
1t was on the fourth In the year A.
d. l2i5 that King John Of England was
compelled by his barons to sign Magma
Charta,' the English prototype OF our
own Declaration Of independence. The
American continent just north Of Florida
In the year 1884. on July t. was discov-
cred by Amdias and Barlow They were
English explorers and navigators. and
made the discovery as they sailed along
the Atlantic coast under orders from Sir
Walter Raleigh. Formal possession was
taken for the English Queen and the land
was delivered over TO the use OF Sir Wal
ter Raleigh
SiXty-nine years thereafter. on the
fourth the Barebones Parliament as
sembled at White Hall and Cromwell
delegated their chairs 20 them for fifteen
years This parliament derived It's name
from Bare Bones or Bar Bones. who was
one of its members.
The object Of this parliament seems In
have been 70 reform the administration
or the law as it was then carried out re
wished 10 abolish Imprisonment for debt
began the process Of abollshing the Court
OF Chancery. passed a civil marriage act
and commenced the codihcation of the
law. II decided % abolish the power of
patrons 10 present TO benehces and the
institution Of tithes These resolutions
especially the latter. would have rendered
the existence Of state church impossi-
bic. Many men Of wealth. distinction
and learning were members Of this par
lament
Brings Treasure to London
In 17i4. on the fourth" George Anson.
baron. brought to London thirty-two
wagon loads Of treasure and deposited
them in the Tower Of London. He was
second lieutenant in her majesty's navy
and for two years sailed under Admiral
Byng in the Mediterranean
In 1924 he became post-captain He Wis
ited South Carolina and founded the town
OF Ansonin in 1873. In 1740 he was dis
patched with six vessels 20 sail around
Cape Horn and rife the shores Of Peru.
At the instance Of the Lords. the trade
commissioners from the colonies OF New
Hampshire, Massachusetts,, Rhode ISL
and. Connecticut. New York Pennsylva-
mia, and Maryland met at Albany on
June 10. l754 to arrange treaty with the
Six Nations.
They also proceeded 20 consider a plan
OF colonial union. proposed by Franklin
and adopted in the same year on the
fourth" 1t provided for a president
general Of all the colonies with veto pow
er, and grand council, to consist Of
from two 20 seven members from each
colony. chosen by the assemblies, TO serve
three years. These should have power 10
control Indian affairs, to raise and equip
forces for colonial defense. and to Law
taxes therefor. The Crown rejected the
plan because ii gave too much power TO
the colonies: but it was one OF the first
ideas Of national union.
The plan Of this Albany convention was
agreed TO exactly twenty-five years be-
fore the Declaration Of Independence. but
was afterward rejected by both the col
onists and the crown.
Greatest Fourth of All.
on the immortal fourth" Of the year
176 the Declaration OF Independence was |
adopted by the Continental Congress Il
was thirty-nine times before that body
until II was finally adopted. Entire sepa-
ration from England was not at first
thought OF by the colonies New England
wished It. but the Southern States were
against t.
The seat OF war having in 1776 been
ff.
caused the South to also change her
views. The North Carolina Convention /
took the first step toward independence
by resolution TO concur with those in I
the other colonies IN declaring Independ- !
ence. This occurred on April %. 1776.
Virginia on May II, 1776, prepared the /
title Of the document by directing her
representatives to propose in Congress a /
Declaration Of Independence. This /
resolution was offered by Richard Henry |
Lee on June Z. and was adopted on July
?. Thomas Jefferson, John Adams. Ben
jamin Franklin, Roger sherman, and Rob |
ert G. Livingston were the committee an /
pointed 90 draft the Declaration. The /
draft was formulated almost entirely by 1
Jefferson.
Before July I Pennsylvania. MARYLAND /
end New Jersey had instructed their dele /
gates 20 vote against the Declaration" +" |
This instruction was rescinded. South /
Carolina came over to the majority Della /
wares vote. at first divided. was cast I'm /
the affirmative. The Declaration was /
therefore adopted by the unanimous vote 1
OF twelve States. New York alone not /
voting
Signed I'm August.
On July T. ING. the New York conven-
ton afterward ratified the Declarations"
The nnprnasnd com. rrnr rlr-rn.a o.. 49,.