Henderson daily dispatch., 1937-07-05

ton. These Colonists had had enough
of tyranny, they had seen their civil
rights usurped by the crown and they
did not intend to stand silent while a
new government was created which
did not provide for their protection in
the simple matter of living as freed
men, The states would not agree to
the Constitution until assured protec-
ton of civil rights, and this was
promised by the first congress to
convene.
Thus was evolved the Bill of
Rights, the first ten amendments to
the Constitution. In passing it is of
some interest to note that a Halifax
county giant, Willie Jones, the leader
of the Jeffersonians in North Caro-
lima, prevented the ratification of the
Constitution in the first state conven-
ton because of the absence of a Bill
of Rights.
The Bill of Rights came from the
pen of James Madison, perhaps one
of the greatest Americans of all times
whose love of liberty and devotion TO
the cause of the common peple was
no less than that of the leader of the
democratic forces, Thomas Jefferson.
Had the Bill of Rights not been adj
ded to the Constitution the history of
the United States may have been far
different; yet that is only speculative
for it seems almost impossible that
people who had suffered under the
oppression of the British king would
have not required that their new gov
-, ~
form, either through Bill of Rights
or something similar, no matter what
the name.
In brief the Bill of Rights guaran-
tees to the citizens the right of re-
ligious freedom, freedom of speech
and of the press, the right to assem-
BILE peacably and the right to petition
for redress of grievances. The pri-
vilege to bear arms is protected and
freedom from military tyranny is
guaranteed. Protection from unlawful
search and seizure is guaranteed and
the right to be free from arrest ex-
cept upon specific warrant is assured
Every citizen is assured the right to
be secure in life, liberty and owner
ship of property, and only by due pro-
cess of law can any of these be taken
away. The right to speedy trial is as
sured for all accused, and trial by
jury is guaranteed. And finally there
is reserved to the people all rights not
granted to the government by specific
mention.
In this day and at this time it is
appropriate that the citizens should
mediate on the Constitution and the
protection it affords them which peo-
Piles of other nations do not have; and
to eb steadfast in their determination
that these rights shall be preserved
for posterity. In Europe the Fascist
state. the Communist state and the
Nazist state have come into being and
successfully deprived the people of
practically every liberty now enjoyed
by citizens of the United States. The
government is in those states supreme
in everything, and the people are
mere vassals of dictators whose ex-
cesses in some instances have match
ed those of tyrants of long ago. Diff
fer with the party in power in Rus
STA, Italy and Germany and imprison-
ment inevitably follows, and some
times death. Dare to sponsor an I'M
censored press, free church, the
right of free speech, an uncontrolled
judiciary and punishment is swift and
certain. Spies move among the people
at all times, and the people live in
fear of their masters, the three die
tators who rule with iron hand. It is
the tragedy of these three nations
that the people themselves created the
Frankensteins who now control them,
for Hitler, Mussolini and Stain are
the products of revolution, revolution
the people who hoped for better
days.
We in America should give thanks
that the central government at Wash
ington does not have the autocratlc
power which the governments of the
three nations mentioned have; and we
should so carefully preserve and de-
fend our constitution rights that the
Washington government will never
have such power.