Evening star., 1946-07-14
Capital Sidelights
RI Will p. Kennedu.

In this month OF CAe DlIIN VI 1iec
nations-the United States on July 4,
1776, and the Philippines under Its
auspices ITO years later-Elizur Yale
Smith, historian Of the Bill OF Rights
Commemorative Society," is focusing the
attention Of members OF Congress and
the United Nations on the steady de-
velopment Of free government by the
people during 303 years.
He points out that while the Declara-
ton Of independence is the foundation.
the Constitution the superstructure and
the Bill of Rights the capstone OF Amer
lean liberty, the groundwork for the
erection OF our fundamental freedoms
was laid by the founding Of the United
Colonies of New England on May 10,
l643. The Great Declaration, however,
had many beginnings and reiterated
many OLD rights. No other State docu-
ment ever was more widely circulated.
thoroughly read or more heartily in
dorsed. Samuel Adams wrote: The
people recognize the resolution as
though it was a decree promulgated
from heaven"
Richard Henry Lee on June 7, 1776.
proposed plan Of confederation of the
which were our first Constitution, were
adopted by Congress November Is, 1777
and officially went into effect on March
/, 1881 after approval by all the States
Then followed our Federal Constitution
in 1887. But it all reverted back to the
contederacy of the United Colonies of
New England which existed from 1643 to
1886, and it was in l643 that the doctrine
of State sovereignty, the principle of
our free government of today. was de-
veloped Between 1643 and 1776 many
plans for Union of the Colonies which
eventually became the United States
Of America, earnestly were considered: :
Propounded by William Penn in 1867,
Charles dAvenant's plan in 1893, an
unnamed Virginian's plan, probably
sponsored by William Byrd, I'd, in 170l;
Robert Livingston's plan the same year,
Kennedys plan of 175l, Benjamin
Franklin's plan, announced at a congress
of the Colonies in Albany in 1854; that
of Dr. Samuel johnson, president of
Kings College (now Columbia Univer-
sity), in 1850; the Stamp Act Congress-
held in City Hall, New York in 1855
which adopted the prototype of the
Declaration of Independence and also
a preliminary Bill of Rights, and again
on July 81, ITS, after war was begun,
Franklin submitted plan of confedera-
tion which shall henceforth be the
United Colonies of North America"
Ak
Now in his 18th year, former presi-
dent of the National Editorial Asso-
citation, former Representative Guy U.
Hardy of Colorado, who still edits the
Canon City Daily Record, which he
founded more than so years ago, had
just preached a little letter-sermon
to the War Finance Division Of the
Treasury Department. He refused to
print in his paper publicity article,
"Sweepstakes Winner Will Invest in
Bonds" which had been sent him.
Pointing out that: IF all of those had
invested their money in Savings Bonds
instead of lottery tickets, more Savings
Bonds could have been purchased than
will be with the winnings on one
ticket" he asks: wherein has the
United States Treasury license to
promote lottery in Ireland when it is
against the law for a small town, or
big, newspaper to advertise bingo
game at the Elks' club or a guessing
contest on the number of seeds in
pumpkin at Catholic fair, or print
the names Of the winners?" In con-
clusion he advises that "the Treasury
Department should consult the solicitor
of the Post ONCE Department" During
his long and able service in Congress
Mr.. Hardy was a member of the Ap-
propriations Committee.