The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1914-04-17
THE CONTROVERSY rs NATION.
Al, NOT INTERNATIONAL

trust titdA 9ou VIII BdiuOu iiC lOA
a momentary depression along lines
lof historical reflections. The consti
tutional convention. which met in
Philadelphia In 1857. was the ablest
body OF jurists. patriots. and states.
men that ever convened on this or any
other continent. Hamilton, of New
York was there: Adams, of Massa-
chusetts. was there Franklin, OF
Pennsylvania. was there; Madison
aud Henry. OF Virginia. were there;
and George Washington presided over
the convention. The annals of the hui
man race record the proceedings OF
no deliberatiye body that eQualed
them in wisdom, sagacity. and patrio.
tism. The history Of the human race
was before the members of this con
ventiOn for inspiration and instruc-
ton. Democratic government had been
a stupendous failure. Single, unchek.
/ cd assemblies had swept the ancient
republics from the world To the
fathers gathered in the City of Broth
erly Love was committed the task
( OF building a government that would
stand the shock of time. They gave to
mankind the American constitution,
I the best and nOblest product of hui
man wisdom, a perfect crystalIization
Of those maxims of liberty and law
that In every age have been found to
be both generous and just They said,
I'VE will have an independent congress,
an Independent executive, an indie
pendent judiciary. Each shall be a
check upon the encroachments of the
others. Each shall be at once an an
Choir and a bulwark Of both law and
I freedom. Then, should some dema-
gOgue like Cleon, the Greek, appear
! tn the house of representatives, a firm
I and independent senate will hold him
in check. Should the senate itself be
cursed by the presence of a Catiline,
as was the case with the Roman SEN
( ate. liberty-loving representatives,
elected every two years fresh from
the bosom of the people. will destroy
his plans. Should some man like
Aaron Burr mount to the presidential
chair, and, designing the destruction
, of the liberties of his country, aspire
10 imperial purple as Burr did, then
firm and independent senate and
house combined will crush his crimi
nal ambition. Should the senate, the
house and the presiden. enter into
some despotic and diabolieal design,
then an independent. august court,
ity, will stand forever between despot-
ism and the liberties of mankind.
Thus, reasoned the fathers, the
republic will endure forever and the
welfare of the country be forever safe
under a three-fold form of govern
ment-legisIative, executive and judi
cial--each dependent yet check up
on the others, all resting upon the af-
fections of the people, each subject
TO the jealous scrutiny of the public
eye. and all forming a grand shield
for the protection of the liberties. of
men and for the security of free in
situations of the EARTH
THE constitution having been thus
established and ordained by the duly
accredited representatives of the peo-
pie gathered at Philadelphia, having
received the approval OF Madison, the
sanction of Hamilton, the prayers of
/ Franklin, and the benediction OF
, Washington, its trainers presented it
as a priceless political heritage to the
human race. And as a key and guide
: TO the Interpretation and construction
of this the nations fundamental law
the fathers hequeathehd the declara-
tion of independence, the best and no
blest, the serenest and sublimest
enunciation of human rights, and the
bitterest and fiercest denunciation OF
despotic claims in the annals of the
world
THE continentals of Washington
who made the republic possible, loved
> and revered this constitution. They
believed that it was more than the
product OF calm wisdom and lofty pa
triotism. They believed that it pos
sessed a distinctiveiy providential ell
ement. They felt that it was Gods
+ saving gift to distracted and imper
+ lied people; that it was his creative
fiat over a weltering chaos, when he
= said: Let nation be born in day
$ And when we look backward acros:
j the stretch of splendid and majesti,
+ century, we behold the children o
e the great republic, blessed of HEAVIER
J. and guided bv the finger of God. NOV