The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-08-16

satsd NJ ..r4iry oussn' Is EiisAhskh.
e. queen % EnSland. France. ire
land, and Virginia. IN the reaction
that succesded the uph6avel IA Eng
land the Old Dominion wa6 snmcientiy
involved and her liberties neglected.
or invaded to cause her people under
the lsadership Of her young tribune,
National Bacon. to assert her
liberties and to ding her into revolu-
ton. Bacon died and 70, for = time.
persisted her cSuse,-her revolution
being stamped out, - revolutions
mainly are. in blood. But. mark. that
this was 4 revolution OF the people
based on the peoples rights against
the government supported by the
privileged class. And virginia never
forgot that her people had fought
for their inaiienable rights. Twelve
ton and the last king Of the house
Of Stuart was driven from the throne.
His two daughters succeeded him
and the house Of Hanover came In.
with increased guarantees of liberty
to the British people In which Virginia
participated.
I give these facts not because they
are not known to all OF you, but be-
cause the very tracing OF them In
chronological sequence shows their re-
lation. and expresses in even their bare
outline how the Progress OF liberty IN
the Old Dominion, ever impeoed as
it was. influenced and bore upon the
progress of liberty in the old world.
And SO we come on down to the next
great step that Virginia made in the
aee-l long struggle for the rights OF
man.--the revolution of 1776.
This is the date that we set. and
we fix even a day as that of our birth
as nation. But think not that this
was its true birthday. 1t was rather
only its christening, Through the
Years the new people were coming to
their birth 1t Is not necessary In
this assembly to recount the stages
of its growth till it was heralded to
those who watched. You know the
story of the long contest,-of the
fght for freedom for which the Vir-
einia house of burgesses lineal sue
cessors of the assembly which set up
at Jamestown in the year 1919, ever
stood the protests--thcy termed
them in the suaye language of the
tune, Petitions; but they had
gradually lost their prayerful tone.
and intermingied with the terms OF
obseQuious respect. was a new note
that steadily swelled from impotence
to anger and finally rang with what
vas not far from defiance
The story of the great conventions
of the revoiutlons.-of the Virginia
Bill of Rights, down to the Decla-
ration of independence. Is all only a
part of one continuous. unbroken
2, hole,--of one protracted contest for
liberty, in which the leaders were the
descendants or successors of these
Virginia burgessca who in that early
day stamped on the Just terminating
life of the American continent the
principe Of self government. in a
re preventative form. These leaders
down TO those IL the last great act
in the drama which proclaimed
liberty not only for Virginia or for
Massachusetts. but for all the thirteen
colonies of Great Britain on the con-
tinent and incidentally for all men,
for the most part we're simple Virginia
turgesses. You know the effect of
this action on the world. Liberty
took a step forward greater than had
ever been made before and in time
the whole word was falling in
haltingly enough.--yet perceptioly to
march In cadenc. to the same music.
1t will cast light on the greatness
OF this step to reflect that at this
time Catherine III. ruled in Russia;
Frederick the Great in Prussia; George
the Third. in Great Britain; and the
Eapsburgs in Austria; ana the Italian
States and Louis XVI in France.
ILLUMINATION
The American revolution biazed the
way and cleared the path for free
dem. France follows suit and with
some excuses sent the impulse of
liberty across Europe and South
America in way which not even
Napoleon nor the reaction which sue
teeded to his regime could wholly
suppress. Hardly country in Europe
hut felt the thrill of liberty that pulsed
through mems qGlckened veins. and
demanded constitutions at the hands
Of their tyrants, great or small. And,
although Austria under Metteenich's
guidance was able for a while to re-
store the regime OF dynastica auto
crazy and suppress freedom. the seed
planted remained and recent events
rave shown beyond need OF comment
that that seed, however covered. con-
tanned the elements OF life.
The Holy Alliance having sup
pressed liberty Gu the continent of
Europe. as was believed for good.
cast its eyes across the seas with the
Intent to restore to the Spanish crown
its revoited colonies. which with the
moral support Of the United States
had obtained their independence. but
here the United States stepped in ard
under the lead Of Virginian laid
oown the doctrine that no European
power shall impose on any country In
America a different form OF govern
ment without the latter's consent. a
bar which for a hundred years has
Esufiiced TO maintain liberty on the
Western Hemisphere.
FATE
And so we come to the last step in
the march of liberty, which shows
the sequence during these three
hundred years from this first legis-
lative assembly in the Old Dominion
- the year 1915. No wonder that
the British and Spanish believers in
the Divine Right OF Kings considered
t.. school Of sedition. For some
Years this march of liberty with its
steady movement across the world
L.,