gloriously identified the beginnings of our national existence. It did at last become very hard for us to listen each year to the preamble of the Declaration and still to remain the owners and users and catchers of slaves; still harder, to accept the doctrine that the righteousness and prosperity of slavery was to be accepted as the dominant policy of the nation. The logic of Calhoun was as flawless as usual, when he concluded that the chief obstruction in the way of his system was the preamble of the Declaration of Independence. Had it not been for the inviolable sacredness given by it to those sweeping aphorisms about the natural rights of man, it may be doubted whether Calhoun might not have won over an immense majority of the American people to the support of his compact and plausible scheme for making slavery the basis of the republic. It was the preamble of the Declaration of Independence which elected Lincoln, which sent forth the Emancipation Proclamation, which gave victory to Grant, which ratified the Thirteenth Amendment.

We shall not here attempt to delineate the influence of this state paper upon mankind in general. Of course, the emergence of the American Republic as an imposing world-power is a phenomenon which has now for many years attracted the attention of the human race. Surely, no slight effect must have resulted from the fact that, among all civilized peoples, the one American document best known is the Declaration of Independence and that thus the spectacle of so vast and beneficent a political success has been everywhere associated with the assertion of the natural rights of man. "The doctrines it contained," says Buckle, "were not merely welcomed by a majority of the French nation, but even the government itself was unable to withstand the general feeling." "Its effect in hastening the approach of the French Revolu

tion

up in the nursery of every king, and blazoned on the porch of every royal palace." it is because it has become the classic statement of political truths which must at last abolish kings altogether, or else teach them to identify their existence with the dignity and happiness of human nature.

Declaration of Independence, DUTCH. The following is the text of the declaration of the States General of the United Provinces, setting forth that Philip II. had forfeited his right of sovereignty over the said provinces, promulgated at The Hague, July 26, 1581: The States General of the United Provinces of the Low Countries, to all whom it may concern, do by these Presents send greeting:

As 'tis apparent to all that a prince is constituted by God to be ruler of a people, to defend them from oppression and violence as the shepherd his sheep; and whereas God did not create the people slaves to their prince, to obey his commands, whether right or wrong, but rather the prince for the sake of the subjects (without which he could be no prince), to govern them according to equity, to love and support them as a father his children or a shepherd his flock, and even at the hazard of life to defend and preserve them. And when he does not behave thus, but, on the contrary, oppresses them, seeking opportunities to infringe their ancient customs and privileges, exacting from them slavish compliance, then he is no longer a prince, but a tyrant, and the subjects are to consider him in no other view. And particularly when this is done deliberately, unauthorized by the States, they may not only disallow his authority, but legally proceed to the choice of another prince for their defence. This is the only method left for subjects whose humble petitions and remonstrances could never soften their prince or dissuade him from his tyran

was indeed most remark- nical proceedings: and this is what the

able." Elsewhere, also, in many lands, among many peoples, it has been cited again and again as an inspiration to political courage, as a model for political conduct; and if, as the brilliant historian just alluded to has affirmed, "that noble Declaration

law of nature dictates for the defence of liberty, which we ought to transmit to posterity, even at the hazard of our lives. And this we have seen done frequently in several countries upon the like occasion, whereof there are notorious instances, and ought to be hung more justifiable in our land, which has

the addition of the said canons he would have introduced the Spanish inquisition, which has been always as dreadful and

been always governed according to their prince's creatures at devotion; and by ancient privileges, which are expressed in the oath taken by the prince at his admission to the government; for most of the provinces receive their prince upon detested in these provinces as the worst certain conditions, which he swears to of slavery, as is well known, in so much

that his imperial majesty, having once before proposed it to these States, and upon whose remonstrances did desist, and entirely gave it up, hereby giving proof of the great affection he had for his subjects. But, notwithstanding the many

maintain, which, if the prince violates, he is no longer sovereign. Now thus it was with the King of Spain after the demise of the Emperor, his father, Charles the Fifth, of glorious memory (of whom he received all these provinces), forgetting the services done by the subjects of these remonstrances made to the King both by

countries, both to his father and himself, the provinces and particular towns, in by whose valor he got so glorious and writing as well as by some principal lords memorable victories over his enemies that by word of mouth; and, namely, by the his name and power became famous and Baron of Montigny and Earl of Egmont, dreaded over all the world, forgetting also who with the approbation of the Duchess the advice of his said imperial majesty, of Parma, then governess of the Low made to him before to the contrary, did Countries, by the advice of the council of rather hearken to the counsel of those State were sent several times to Spain Spaniards about him, who had conceived a upon this affair. And, although the King secret hatred to this land and to its lib- had by fair words given them grounds to erty, because they could not enjoy posts of hope that their request should be comhonor and high employments here under plied with, yet by his letters he ordered the States as in Naples, Sicily, Milan, and the contrary, soon after expressly comthe Indies, and other countries under the manding, upon pain of his displeasure, to King's dominion. Thus allured by the admit the new bishops immediately, and riches of the said provinces, wherewith put them in possession of their bishopmany of them were well acquainted, the rics and incorporated abbeys, to hold said counsellors, I say, or the principal of the court of the inquisition in the places them, frequently remonstrated to the King where it had been before, to obey and that it was more for his majesty's reputa- follow the decrees and ordinances of the tion and grandeur to subdue the Low Coun- Council of Trent, which in many articles tries a second time, and to make himself are destructive of the privileges of the absolute (by which they mean to tyran- country. This being come to the knowlnize at pleasure), than to govern accord- edge of the people gave just occasion to ing to the restrictions he had accepted, great uneasiness and clamor among them, and at his admission sworn to observe. and lessened that good affection they had From that time forward the King of always borne toward the King and his Spain, following these evil counsellors, predecessors. And, especially, seeing that sought by all means possible to re- he did not only seek to tyrannize over duce this country (stripping them of their their persons and estates, but also over

ancient privileges) to slavery, under the government of Spaniards having first, under the mask of religion, endeavored to settle new bishops in the largest and

their consciences, for which they believed themselves accountable to God only. Upon this occasion the chief of the nobility in compassion to the poor people, in

principal cities, endowing and incorporat- the year 1566, exhibited a certain reing them with the richest abbeys, assign- monstrance in form of a petition, humbly ing to each bishop nine canons to assist praying, in order to appease them and him as counsellors, three whereof should prevent public disturbances, that it would superintend the inquisition. By this in- please his majesty (by shewing that corporation the said bishops (who might clemency due from a good prince to his be strangers as well as natives) would people) to soften the said points, and have had the first place and vote in the especially with regard to the rigorous assembly of the States, and always the inquisition, and capital punishments for