The sheriff appeals in vain that they yield and live. The grim prelate advances, reads the death warrant, and offers pardon if they renounce4 their faith. With quiet smiles they lift their heads and pray.
The King on his throne has failed. The King within the soul of man is rising to reign5.
The martyrs6 are bound to a stake, the fagots piled high, the torch applied7. Above the crackle and roar of flames over the hills by the western sea rises their song—the battle hymn8 of a coming republic of freemen.
The women they reserve for kindlier treatment, these gallant9 servants of the King. Beside old Margaret McLaughlin stands a beautiful girl of nineteen with wide eyes hungry for the joy of living. The poor father, faithful to the Church, has bought the life of his younger daughter for a hundred pounds in gold. He offers more for his first born. The older one they refuse to sell.
With generous chivalry10 the soldiers drive their stakes within the tide line of the sea. Drowning they say is an easy death. Old Margaret sinks quickly beneath the waves. Life has been hard for her. There’s a far-off eager look in the old eyes as they are lifted to the sky.
The young girl fights for life with the instinctive11 will to live that beats in every mother soul. The prelate watching smiles. He sees a convert to his forms and signals to the guard. The girl is loosed and dragged ashore13. Bending over the prostrate14 figure on the sands he offers life for an oath.
“Your King commands it!” the minion15 urges.
The girl answers in gentle tones:
“I am Christ’s child—I follow Him!”
The prelate frowns, rises and gives the sign to his executioners. The soldiers tie her again to the stake, and the red shadow of the flames on the bleak hill fall across the white young face and mingle16 with the scarlet17 of the setting sun.
Every dungeon18 groans19 throughout the realm with the madness of the King. The gentlest and the noblest are held as common felons20. John Milton, brooding within his soul his immortal21 song, is gripped by prison bars. Roger Williams, his friend and fellow dreamer, sits by his side reading to the blind poet the principles of liberty proclaimed by their Dutch brethren across the channel.
From every dark port the ships lift their wings and sail westward22. From the decks of one our Pilgrim Fathers land on Plymouth Rock and pray. Strange mixture of fine and common clay these ancestors of ours! They land first on their knees and then on the aborigines. The pilgrim becomes the invader23. And he wins every battle for the simplest possible reason. He carries a weapon superior to the one in the hand of the untutored Indian. The bow and arrow goes down before the death dealing24 bolt hurled25 by gunpowder26.
The simple aboriginal27 had made no preparation against invasion. His wigwam is burned, his land and goods taken, his children slain28.
On other ships come nobler men who lift high the light of a new civilization.
Roger Williams, exiled from England and driven from Massachusetts by the Pilgrims, lands on Narragansett Bay, and proclaims religious liberty as the first principle of human progress. William Penn in Pennsylvania and Roger Williams in Rhode Island at least atone29 for some of our early sins. The light they kindle30 on our shores streams across the sea to far-off king-ridden Germany whose men and women starve and freeze on snow-wrapped hills and mountains while crowned heads, aping the Court of the Grand Monarch31 of France, dance and drink in their palaces. As the snows melt an endless line of human misery32 pours along the banks of the Rhine to Rotterdam—with eyes fixed33 on the far-off new western world.
From the green hills of Ireland leaps another stream toward the western sea. An absentee landlord, wearing a coronet and loafing at the Court of Royalty34, needs more money for his games. He decides to double his income by raising his rents. The Marquis of Donegal promptly35 evicts36 all tenants37 who cannot pay. The lordly example is followed by his landowning neighbors and thirty thousand Irish immigrants flee to America in a single year.
But strangest sign of the ages, the children of the Inquisition themselves at last feel the thumbscrew, rack and torch and turn their frightened faces westward to the new free world! Lord Baltimore leads his Catholic exiles to the shores of the Chesapeake and builds in new-found wisdom a free state with religious liberty its cornerstone.
From a rose bower38 in the Royal gardens at Fontainebleau the blackest cloud of a bloody39 century rises to darken the skies of sunny France. A gayly dressed page places a cushion and footstool and prostrates40 himself as before approaching divinity. A courtier enters, examines the cushion, kneels, kisses the footstool and stands at attention. The Grand Monarch, Louis XIV, approaches leaning heavily on the arm of his bespangled attendant. The King is bent41 with the consciousness of a life of sin. His fat legs totter42, and there is a haunted look in his feverish43 eyes. Remorse44 for a brutal45 career is gnawing46 at his fear-stricken soul. The white hand of Death is beckoning47 and he sees.
Madame de Maintenon, his evil genius, hovers48 in the background, a black-robed priest whispering in her willing ear.
The King is seated by his courtiers. He roughly commands that they call his mistress-wife and waves them aside with imperious gesture.
De Maintenon’s keen eye catches the order, the priest disappears and the harlot who rules a world approaches with cat-like tread, her face a study of quiet triumphant49 cunning. She protests her undying love and with pious50 eloquence51 points the way by which his gracious majesty52 may yet earn his heavenly crown. A million industrious53 Huguenots have unfortunately survived the massacre54 of St. Bartholomew. If the King would win eternal salvation55 he can by ordering their death or submission56 to the dishonor of denying their soul’s faith in God. She presents the fatal document. The old roué with trembling hand signs the revocation57 of the Edict of Nantes. France is again deluged58 in blood and two hundred thousand of her noblest children driven into exile.
The sun of the new day rises on fields of flowers strewn with the bodies of dead mothers and babes. As the night falls, terror-stricken refugees creep across the dark sands of the beach, enter the little boats and push off from their beloved motherland for the long exile, their saddened faces turned westward.
The sea is wide but not so wide that the English King’s hand cannot reach the throats of exiles and their children. By royal command Captain Preston orders his soldiers to shoot the people down in the streets of Boston on the night of March 5, 1770. Unarmed men shout defiance59 and the troops are withdrawn60 to hush61 the turmoil62.
The frontiersmen of the wilderness63 of North Carolina are not so easily tamed. They seize their muskets64 and give the first armed resistance to the might of kings the New World has dared. The Royal Governor defeats the rebels in the Battle of Alamance on May 16, 1771, and hangs six of their leaders. As young James Pough stands with his arms pinioned65 behind his back he turns to his executioners and shouts: “My blood will be seed sown on good ground!”
Our fathers in Boston hear the shout and when the King attempts to enforce his stamp act they board his ship and throw the cargo66 into the sea.
The Colonies are at war with the King. The big bell in Philadelphia is calling all to unite in common defense67 and Thomas Jefferson reads his immortal Declaration of Independence to the assembled leaders. His voice rings with a strange prophetic elation68:
“We hold these truths to be self evident—that all men are created equal!”
The startled kings of the earth hear the new heresy69 in sullen70 wrath71 and join hands to crush the rebels. The German rulers hire to George III more than thirty thousand Teutonic soldiers with which to stamp out the threatening conflagration72. The Hessians land on our shores and join hands with the scarlet ranks of the King of England.
To mock their shame a noble Prussian, trained in the school of Frederick the Great, offers his sword to Washington and becomes the Inspector73 General of our ragged12 half-starved army.
Steuben stands beside Lafayette and Rochambeau while Lord Cornwallis surrenders the British army at Yorktown.
Through ten years of defeat and anguish74, of blood and suffering God leads the American Colonies at last into the sunlight of victory. George Washington, first president of the established union of free sovereign democratic States, delivers his inaugural75 address. A free nation rises from blood-red soil to haunt the dream of kings.
The rulers of earth are not slow to note the signs of the times. Democracy must be crushed. The handwriting on their palace walls is plain. He who runs may read. Imperialism76 challenges Democracy for a fight to the finish. The kings of Austria, Russia and Prussia meet in Paris and form the Holy Alliance. The purpose of their treaty is expressed in plain language. It has the ring of a bugle77 call to arms. They do not mince78 words:
“The high contracting parties, well convinced that the system of representative government is as incompatible79 with the monarchical80 system as the maxim81 of the sovereignty of the people is opposed to the principle of Divine Right, engage in the most solemn manner to employ all their means and unite all their efforts to put an end to the system of representative government wherever it is known to exist in the States of Europe and to prevent it from being introduced into those States where it is not known.”
Alexander I of Russia, Frederick William III of Prussia, and Francis I of Austria sign the solemn compact and fix their Royal seals. In due time the Bourbon King of France joins the Alliance against the rising Democracy. They would first crush the spirit of the French Revolution in Europe and halt the spirit of 1776 in America. They must re-establish the Crown over the revolting colonies of Central and South America and establish Russia’s claim to Northwestern America.
James Monroe, president of the United States, answers this challenge with the doctrine82 of a free America ruled by her own people. The leader of world democracy does not mince words. His message rings also with the note of a bugle call to arms:
“The political system of the Allied83 Powers is essentially84 different from that of America. To the defense of our own, which has been achieved with the loss of so much blood and treasure, this whole nation is devoted85 and we should consider any attempt on their part to extend their system to any portion of this hemisphere as dangerous to our peace and safety. It is impossible therefore that the Allied Powers should extend their political system to either Continent of North or South America without endangering our life.”
Imperial Europe has flung down the gantlet. American Democracy accepts the challenge and the fight is on to a finish.
The King of Prussia wins the first skirmish and strangles with iron hand the murmurs86 of the people of Germany for freedom. Karl Schurz, Franz Siegel, Jacobi and their fellow students crawl through the sewers87, elude88 the Prussian soldiers, and reach our shores to swell89 the rank of militant90 Democracy. All Europe rings with the headsman’s ax and from a thousand hilltops the ropes of hangmen swing in the stark91 heavens.
Those corpses92 of young men,
Those martyrs that hang from the gibbets—those hearts pierced by the gray lead,
Cold and motionless as they seem, live elsewhere with unslaughtered vitality93.
They live in other young men, O kings!
They live in brothers, again ready to defy you!
They were purified by death—they were taught and exalted94.
Not a disembodied spirit can the weapons of tyrants95 let loose,
But it stalks invisibly over the earth, whispering, counseling, cautioning.
Democracy hears these invisible councilors and sets her house in order for the coming world crisis.
The old Federal union of sovereign states has proven too frail96 for the strain of the new era. A stronger union must be laid with new and deeper foundations. “Liberty and union one and inseparable now and forever” ceases to be merely the eloquent97 prayer of a great statesman. It has become the first necessity of the political system of Democracy. Abraham Lincoln realizes this in his soul stirring cry from the great battlefield:
“That Government of the people by the people and for the people shall not perish from the earth!”
From her baptism of blood and tears the New Nation, strong, free, united, rises at last to face a hostile world, her house in order, her loins girded for the conflict.
Imperial Europe hastens to test her mettle98. A princeling is proclaimed emperor of Mexico in a palace in Vienna, Austria, and sails for our shores. His reign is brief.
A few short months and Maximilian stands beside an old Spanish wall in a Mexican village and bids farewell to his friends. He is allowed to embrace Miramon and Mejia. With imperial gesture he throws his gold to the soldiers and bids them fire straight at his heart. The three fall simultaneously99 and the smoke lifts once more on a Western nation ruled by the people.
Europe has not forgotten. She is busy for the moment setting her own house in order for the supreme100 conflict which her leaders foresee with the advance of the dangerous heresy of people claiming the right to govern themselves.
The Emperor of Germany sounds the keynote in an address to his magnificent army—The Divine Right of Kings was never so boldly proclaimed by any ruler of the world. He speaks the last word of Imperial Culture to Modern Democracy:
“We Hohenzollerns hold our crown from God alone. Who opposes me I shall crush to pieces!”
The American Republic is but a lusty youth of untried strength among the nations of earth. The real battle between the Crown and the People for the mastery of the world is yet to be fought. Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty today as yesterday and forever.
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1
bleak
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| adj.(天气)阴冷的；凄凉的；暗淡的 | |
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humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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dictates
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| n.命令，规定，要求( dictate的名词复数 )v.大声讲或读( dictate的第三人称单数 )；口授；支配；摆布 | |
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renounce
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| v.放弃；拒绝承认，宣布与…断绝关系 | |
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reign
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| n.统治时期，统治，支配，盛行；v.占优势 | |
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martyrs
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| n.martyr的复数形式；烈士( martyr的名词复数 )；殉道者；殉教者；乞怜者（向人诉苦以博取同情） | |
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applied
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| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
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hymn
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| n.赞美诗，圣歌，颂歌 | |
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gallant
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| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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chivalry
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| n.骑士气概，侠义；（男人）对女人彬彬有礼，献殷勤 | |
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instinctive
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| adj.(出于)本能的；直觉的；(出于)天性的 | |
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ragged
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| adj.衣衫褴褛的，粗糙的，刺耳的 | |
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ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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prostrate
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| v.拜倒，平卧，衰竭；adj.拜倒的，平卧的，衰竭的 | |
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minion
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| n.宠仆；宠爱之人 | |
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mingle
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| vt.使混合，使相混；vi.混合起来；相交往 | |
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scarlet
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| n.深红色，绯红色，红衣；adj.绯红色的 | |
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dungeon
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| n.地牢，土牢 | |
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groans
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| n.呻吟，叹息( groan的名词复数 )；呻吟般的声音v.呻吟( groan的第三人称单数 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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20
felons
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| n.重罪犯( felon的名词复数 )；瘭疽；甲沟炎；指头脓炎 | |
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immortal
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| adj.不朽的；永生的，不死的；神的 | |
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westward
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| n.西方，西部；adj.西方的，向西的；adv.向西 | |
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invader
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| n.侵略者，侵犯者，入侵者 | |
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dealing
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| n.经商方法，待人态度 | |
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hurled
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| v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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gunpowder
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| n.火药 | |
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aboriginal
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| adj.（指动植物）土生的，原产地的，土著的 | |
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slain
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| 杀死，宰杀，杀戮( slay的过去分词 )； (slay的过去分词) | |
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atone
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| v.赎罪，补偿 | |
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kindle
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| v.点燃，着火 | |
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monarch
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| n.帝王，君主，最高统治者 | |
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misery
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| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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royalty
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| n.皇家，皇族 | |
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promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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evicts
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| v.（依法从房屋里或土地上）驱逐，赶出( evict的第三人称单数 ) | |
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tenants
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| n.房客( tenant的名词复数 )；佃户；占用者；占有者 | |
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bower
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| n.凉亭，树荫下凉快之处；闺房；v.荫蔽 | |
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bloody
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| adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染 | |
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prostrates
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| v.使俯伏，使拜倒( prostrate的第三人称单数 )；（指疾病、天气等）使某人无能为力 | |
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41
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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totter
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| v.蹒跚， 摇摇欲坠；n.蹒跚的步子 | |
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feverish
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| adj.发烧的，狂热的，兴奋的 | |
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remorse
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| n.痛恨，悔恨，自责 | |
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45
brutal
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| adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的 | |
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46
gnawing
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| a.痛苦的，折磨人的 | |
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47
beckoning
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| adj.引诱人的，令人心动的v.（用头或手的动作）示意，召唤( beckon的现在分词 ) | |
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48
hovers
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| 鸟( hover的第三人称单数 )； 靠近（某事物）； （人）徘徊； 犹豫 | |
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49
triumphant
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| adj.胜利的，成功的；狂欢的，喜悦的 | |
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50
pious
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| adj.虔诚的；道貌岸然的 | |
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51
eloquence
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| n.雄辩；口才，修辞 | |
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52
majesty
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| n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权 | |
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53
industrious
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| adj.勤劳的，刻苦的，奋发的 | |
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54
massacre
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| n.残杀，大屠杀；v.残杀，集体屠杀 | |
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55
salvation
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| n.（尤指基督）救世，超度，拯救，解困 | |
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56
submission
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| n.服从，投降；温顺，谦虚；提出 | |
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revocation
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| n.废止，撤回 | |
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58
deluged
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| v.使淹没( deluge的过去式和过去分词 )；淹没；被洪水般涌来的事物所淹没；穷于应付 | |
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defiance
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| n.挑战，挑衅，蔑视，违抗 | |
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60
withdrawn
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| vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出 | |
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61
hush
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| int.嘘，别出声；n.沉默，静寂；v.使安静 | |
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62
turmoil
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| n.骚乱，混乱，动乱 | |
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63
wilderness
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| n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等，荒漠 | |
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64
muskets
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| n.火枪，（尤指）滑膛枪( musket的名词复数 ) | |
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pinioned
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| v.抓住[捆住]（双臂）( pinion的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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66
cargo
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| n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物 | |
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defense
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| n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩 | |
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elation
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| n.兴高采烈，洋洋得意 | |
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69
heresy
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| n.异端邪说；异教 | |
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70
sullen
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| adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的 | |
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71
wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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72
conflagration
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| n.建筑物或森林大火 | |
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inspector
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| n.检查员，监察员，视察员 | |
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74
anguish
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| n.(尤指心灵上的)极度痛苦，烦恼 | |
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inaugural
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| adj.就职的；n.就职典礼 | |
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imperialism
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| n.帝国主义，帝国主义政策 | |
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bugle
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| n.军号，号角，喇叭；v.吹号，吹号召集 | |
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mince
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| n.切碎物；v.切碎，矫揉做作地说 | |
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incompatible
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| adj.不相容的，不协调的，不相配的 | |
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monarchical
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| adj. 国王的，帝王的，君主的，拥护君主制的 =monarchic | |
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maxim
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| n.格言，箴言 | |
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doctrine
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| n.教义；主义；学说 | |
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allied
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| adj.协约国的；同盟国的 | |
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essentially
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| adv.本质上，实质上，基本上 | |
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devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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86
murmurs
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| n.低沉、连续而不清的声音( murmur的名词复数 )；低语声；怨言；嘀咕 | |
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87
sewers
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| n.阴沟，污水管，下水道( sewer的名词复数 ) | |
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elude
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| v.躲避，困惑 | |
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swell
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| vi.膨胀，肿胀；增长，增强 | |
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militant
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| adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士 | |
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stark
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| adj.荒凉的；严酷的；完全的；adv.完全地 | |
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corpses
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| n.死尸，尸体( corpse的名词复数 ) | |
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vitality
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| n.活力，生命力，效力 | |
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exalted
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| adj.(地位等)高的，崇高的；尊贵的，高尚的 | |
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tyrants
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| 专制统治者( tyrant的名词复数 )； 暴君似的人； （古希腊的）僭主； 严酷的事物 | |
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frail
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| adj.身体虚弱的；易损坏的 | |
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eloquent
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| adj.雄辩的，口才流利的；明白显示出的 | |
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mettle
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| n.勇气，精神 | |
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simultaneously
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| adv.同时发生地，同时进行地 | |
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supreme
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| adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的 | |
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