Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-08-04


deafening thunder clap broke over-
head.
Although there was high wind, the
heavy downpour kept the sea from
being rough.
President Hardings speech at the
Pilgrim precautionary celebration here
today follows:
Though they seem comparatively
measureless to US, three centuries are
little more than moment In the
chronicle of human history. Chris
tianity is now rounding out it's tWen-
tieth century, and there is no compre-
hensible measure to the human fer
ment which went before. Our actual
national life is less than half the
period of marvellous new world de-
Velopment, the tercentenary of which
beginning we celebrate, but in that
little while the achievement is the
most significant of all the centuries.
1t is not too much to say that the
three centuries which have passed
since men of our race came here to
found a new state have been the most
momentouS and the most pregnant In
all the progress of human kind.
To this and the Virginia shore were
transplanted the seeds of representa-
Tive dGulOC1 dCyp Lie A4S" OSeAAo ~
nationality through association and
representation, and there has deVel-
oped, seemingly, the most dependable
form of popular government ever
witnessed in the world. Perhaps this
larger achievement was not intended
by the heroes of colonization. They
were seeking freedom and found ma
tonality essential to it's preservation.
Destiny pointed the way, and the
hand of Divinity traced the course OF
God-intended human advancement.
Here came the sturdy English middle
class of yeOmanry, burghers ana
squires, who clung to their ideals OF
representative government. AT home
they might have been crushed under
the burdens which reaction was Seelt-
ing to impose. Here they could have
free play and begin anew, and fashion
the temple of freedom in new land,
and they began. what we call repub-
lican institutions. These institutions
are the agencies of highest freedom
which embody at once the central
lied authority strong enough to hold
together a great community, ana
those essentials of democracy which
insure dominance to the intelligent
will of q free people.
Public Opinion Reign Began
Whether. we reflect upon the re-
straints upon freedom which the ia
theirs imposed, or measure the broader
liberty under the law of today, mere
began the reign of dependable public
opinion, which unfailingly is the law
of highest civilization. One may not
home have been able to work out
such a system if there had been no
American colonies, and the colonial
influences to react upon the mother
country. Doubtless the English rev.
olution, which came soon after the
Of d n
come even had there been no settle
ment here, no Massachusetts bay col
ony, no Virginia plantation. But 1t
is easy to believe that in the long
struggle after the restoration, the
fruits Of the revolution, the strength
ened parliamentary institutions ana
the restrictions on royal prerogatlve
were helped by the influences OF
colonial democracy.
No one ever will dispute the large
part New England played in the rear
ing of new standards of freedom.
Here, with crude narroWness and un-
conscious selfishness hindering, but
with the supreme intent impelling,
there developed the accepted plan OF
emancipating humanity and the grant
to man to shape his own destiny.
The world chorus today rejoicing IN
maintained democracy, attuned its
chord to the notes first sounded here.
countrys contribution to mankindS
advance, if he overlooks the things
which were truly fundamental in
creating two towers of national
strength for freedom, where there
might have been but one. At time
when the restored house of Stuart
was bent on breaking up the New
England confederacy esteeming 1t a
league for ultimate Independence, the
enemies of Charles II were the firm
friends of New England. The, con-
federacy was at length DESTROYED, but
it had served to teach the colon1sts
unity and cooperation. Thus there
was laid the foundation, in PUBLIC
opinion, and working experience, OF
the confederation which afterWard
brought together the thirteen colonies
in the Revolutionary struggle, and
later the federal union.
There is some justification for the
generalization that the polltlcal W
rants of the restoration forced a re
ligious freedom on a colon1a! com
munity whose dominating minority
wrested political freedom from the
crown. The clash between a theo-
cratic tyranny on this side and a
political tyranny on the other re-
suited in the destrution of both, to
the vast betterment OF every human
The men and women who came
here to found, in a wilderness, across
a thousand leagues Of ocean waste
a new state came with high and con-
scious purpose Of achieving a great
human end Out Of their voluminous
letters, memoirs, public records and
historical writings, we constantly get
the impression of their deep convlc-
ton that they had been called as dl-
vine instruments to accomplish a
work of Supremest significance.
Trial ordeal Passed
The community of free people OF
our race, whether in Europe or Amer
lea, in Africa, or Australia, under
the northern or southern skies
whether held together by political
ties or by the yet more potent bonds
of common traditions, institutions,
language and blood-this community,
spread now to all quarters of the
world, was begun when jamestown
and Plymouth were founded. 1t has
carried it's ideals wherever it has set
it's standard. Its work is not finish
ed; but pray God, it has come tri-
umphantly through it's determining
ordeal.
We stand today before the un-
known, but we look to the future with
confidence mistaken. There is no re-
tracing, we must forever go on.
We welcome the theories wrought
out in new hope bat we cling to the
assurance founded on experience.
Just as the Pilgrims had practi-