nd Frenchmen, and Russians. What are the two great
declarations of which England is proud? Take the _Magna Charta
Libertatum_. The historians say that this is the bulwark of English
freedom. Yes, Englishmen, you do right to so esteem it. But then you
should remember that the _Magna Charta Libertatum_ was a concession
from King John--a concession from a superior to inferiors, and the men
who wrung that concession from that English king did not esteem
themselves his equals, but permitted themselves to be treated as
inferiors. Then take what is known in English parliamentary history as
A Petition of Rights. It secured a concession from King Charles I--a
superior to inferiors. But our fathers said we are the superiors.
[Applause.] We recognize no superior but God; we declare a government
of the people, by the people, and for the people. [Applause.] We ask
not for a _Magna Charta Libertatum_. We offer no petition of rights.
Jefferson made our declaration of rights and the fathers signed it,
saying, We are born free and equal, created in the image of God; our
political rights are inalienable, inseparable from our birth.
[Applause.] That declaration turned the corner of political history.
It astounded all Europe. It sent a chill through royal blood. It
caused a paleness to come over kings and queens; yet it was a
declaration which oncoming generations approved, and oncoming
centuries will applaud, because born of truth, justice and liberty.

The naturalized American must renounce all allegiance to foreign
prince or potentate or government; in so doing he must reject the
assumed superiority of any human grantor and assert the superiority of
the individual citizen in whom inhere these rights. [Applause.]

The fathers ventured the assertion that a government of the people and
by the people and for the people should be supported, not by physical
force, but by a moral power, an astounding fact in the national
history. The power that conquered in the war for independence was a
moral force. It was the _spirit_ of '76. It was the spirit of '76 that
inspired Warren to say: "Put me where the battle is hottest." It was
the spirit of '76 that moved Putnam to shout out on the eve of battle:
"Powder! powder! Ye gods, give us powder!" It was the spirit of '76
that caused the New Jersey dominie, when the army was destitute of
wadding, to rush to the church and, getting a copy of Watts's psalms,
shout out: "There, boys, put Watts into them."