to maintain
liberty and self-government, and also to maintain mutual peace by
arbitration.

[1] Such apparent exceptions as the Dutch in South Africa, the French
in Canada, and the Negroes in the United States do not essentially
affect the truth of this statement, since in practice the people of
these races uphold the great fundamental principles on which all
Anglo-Saxon government rests.

In view of these facts let us say, with an eminent thinker[2] whose
intellectual home was on both sides of the Atlantic: "Whatever there
be between the two nations to forget and forgive, is forgotten and
forgiven. If the two peoples, which are one, be true to their duty,
who can doubt that the destinies of the world must be in large measure
committed to their hands?"

[2] Dean Farrar, Address on General Grant, Westminster Abbey, 1885.

General Summary of English Constitutional History[1]

[1] This Summary is inserted for the benefit of those who desire a
compact, connected view of the development of the English
Constitution, such as may be conveniently used either for reference,
for a general review of the subject, or for purposes of special
study. --D.H.M.

For authorities, see Stubbs (449-1485); Hallam (1485-1760); May (1760-
1870); Amos (1870-1880); see also Hansard and Cobbett's "Parliamentary
History," the works of Freeman, Taswell-Langmead (the best one-volume
Constitutional History), Feilden's Manual, and A. L. Lowell's "The
Government of England," 2 vols., in the Classified List of Books
beginning on page xxxvi.

The references inserted in parentheses are to sections in the body of
the history.

1. Origin and Primitive Government of the English People.

The main body of the English people did not originate in Britain, but
in Northwestern Germany. The Jutes, Saxons, and Angles were
independent, kindred tribes living on the banks of the Elbe and its
vicinity.

They had no written laws, but obeyed time-honored customs which had
all the force of laws. All matters of public importance were decided
by each tribe at meetings held in the open air. There every freeman
had an equal voice in the decision. There the people chose their
rulers and military leaders; they discussed questions of peace and
war; finally, acting as a high court of justice, they tried criminals
and settled disputes about property.

In these rude methods we see the beginning of the English
Constitution. Its growth has been the slow