The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1911-07-07
The fourth at Roche harbor


ing salute of Cannon greeted the
rising of the sun. At 1880 the ex-
ercises of the day begun.
Singing by the. children, "My
Country T'is of Thee"
Invocation by the Pastor, Rev. S.
G.. Jones.
A very pretty exercise by nine
little girls dressed in white winding
the Liberty Pole with the red, white
and blue; The choir singing "The
Red, White and Blue" and the audi
ence joining in the chorus.
Hon. John S. McMillin welcomed
the people of Roche Harbor. in
hearty manner and introduced the
speaker of the day, Pastor Rev. S.
G. Jones, who presented the theme
"1he Magma Charter as the basis of
American independence and Civil
liberty in very able and interesting
manner and succeeded in placing be-
fore his audience such a. wealth of
historical narrative, at times hung
orous, again with great pathos, IS to
hold everyone spell bound until the
finish. At the very urgent request
of many who heard it. and believing
that it might be a benefit to some
who desire to examine the founda-
lions of our National Institution,
Mr.. Jones was requested to prepare
an outline which he gladly furnish
ed as follows:
Zone hundred and thirty five
years ago, five men signed docu-
ment which has become immortal.
Regarding the circumstances under
which they met we all are familiar.
and today we have clearer know
lege and better understanding than
at any time of the past. The Anglo
Saxon people have always been a
liberty loving people and the preser-
walton of those liberties through a
constitutional form of government.
The action of the men at Philadel-
phia was but a reaction of what
happened at Runnymeade June, 18th.
1851, sci years before the Declara-
ton of Independence when the
Barons wrung from reluctant King
the Great Charter. In modern
speech all governments desire their
just powers from the consent of the
government. Then no taxation
without representation. Second:
''No person shall be impeached, out
lawed or proceeded against other
than by the legal judgment of his
peers" All were to be amenable to
the law and no one to be deprived
of liberty without due process Of
law. Hence law shall be paramount
and justice must be dispensed
through the courts. and not subject
to the caprice of the Monacrh. IS
The population Of the Colonies at
the time Of the Declaration of indie
pendence was about three. millions,
the population of England was about
eight millions and of these, only one
hundred and sixty thousand had the
right Of suffrage, it was against the
glaring injustice of waging war
against the American Colonies. that
Pit Numbered, Burke wrote and C.
]. Fox dressed in the Buff and Blue
of the Continental Army spoke in the
House of Commons. The resistance
to King Georges demands was un-
der the principles that the Great
Charter was being violated and on
May 9th in Congress assembled, the
Colonies being at war, John Adams
introduced resolution providing
that the colonies should form
government independent of the
Crown. On June 10th committee
Of five was appointed to darw up
such document, a subcommittee
Of two was appointed and the work
was laid on the youngest member,
Thomas Jefferson, aged 80 years,
who wrote the Immortal Document.
The three great names of Ameri-
can Independence: John Adams,
1hos. Jefferson and George Washing
ton and, associated with them must
ever be c. j. Fox, VIM. Pitt and
Edmund Burke. These men were
PARROTS from principle and so,.ie
supposed statement Of today would
find association with them not very
congenial.
Equality of wealth and position
there never would be. but to all
there must be equality Of oppor-
tunity and all who have the Ameri-
can spirit are welcome, but to those
who have not and desire to ape Old
World monarchies and rush after;
Crowns. and Coronets. we bid them
aspeedy departure and to all loafers.
idle loafers, whether they are rich
or poor, America can do without
you. z
S. "a ,nnrica M;yo