The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1908-07-04


can Catholic Historical Researches
the editor, Mr.. Martin I. J. Griffin.
calls attention to the origin of the
striking phrase of the Declaration Of
Independence. i. e., Are and of right
ought to he as traceable to Pope
Bonifacc VIII. A. D. 1900. This
seems curiously distant for such an
expression. Pope Boniface is. how
ever. responsible for much more than
mere phrases in our Declaration of
Independence and must be given
credit for not a little in the origins of
our liberties and indeed Of our Ameri
can Republic. 1t is indeed to him
that can be traced very clearly tho
first expression of that principle on
which our forefathers began their
quarrel with Great Britain. viz, that
there shall be no taxation without
representation
Pope Boniface is one of the most
maligned of the Popes. AS the result
Of the fact that every history of medi-
cine hitherto published in English has
attributed to him a bull forbidding
dissection, and thus preventing the
development of anatomical science, l
have had TO look into a number of
documents issued during his pontiti.
cate. He was over seventy years of
age when he assembled tho Papal
throne. which he occupied for nearly
ten years. They represent ten of tho
busiest years IN pontifical history. 1t
is his very greatness and his realiza,
tion of the possibilities of his position
for good that has made this Pontiff
the unfailing target for anti-Papal
historians.
II seems worth while to gather to.
gethcr certain data with regard TO
Bonifaces influence, though obviously
remote, upon early American history
in such way that the historian of the
future may realize its Significance. Ac-
cordingly, take the liberty to quote
the page of the American Catholic His.
torical Researches, along with a page
from Reverend William Barry's "His.
tory OF the Papal Monarchy" and somo
expressions of my own used in an arti.
Gle on Bonifacc WILL, called "A Pic
turc and an Anniversary" which ap
pcared in the October number. 1904,
of the Catholic World. My words wera
as follows:
Professor William A. Dunning Oe
Columbia University. New York, al
tho meeting of the American Histori-
cal Association in Philadelphia, De-
cembcr, 1902. in the discussion of the
paper by Prof. James Sullivan of tho
High School Of Commerce, New
York, on Tho Antcccdents of the
Declaration of Independence said
that the words Arc and Of right
ought to be- free and independent
ud'l IhIulcsS anu
finish and we're q rhythmic collec.
tion of plain. strong Saxon words
ole thought the man who coined It
should have the credit for his work."
The professor traced IT. thus,
through it's several stages backward:
"To Jefferson in the Declaration IT,
self; thence to Richard Henry Lee III
the resolution offered in Congress on
June Z, 1776; to Dean Swift in tho
Drapier's Letters; to the English Par.
liament's Bill of Rights of 1889; to
the House of Commons in the reign
of James l., in 1921; to Whitgift's
Articles Touching Preachers" IL
1888"
Then he continued:
"One would like at least to find
consolation In the thought that ii
has peculiar fitness for the English
race. amid which 1t originated; that
its clean-cut and massive terms reflect
something Of that strong political