The Developing of Morals 



great document that was the beginning of the end of the 

 principle of the divine right of kings to rule over the people 

 v^Ithout their consent. This was the first great triumph of 

 the common rights of humanity. The chief promises exacted 

 were — 



1. That no free man should be unlawfully 

 Imprisoned, outlawed or exiled. 



2. That justice should be administered to all. 



3. That no taxes should be levied without the 

 consent of the people. 



The protection of life, liberty, and property from arbi- 

 trary spoliations by some tyrannical ruler who claims his 

 right to rule Is divine, Is the most Important feature of the 

 charter. It may seem a long time since 1215 A. D., but the 

 processes of evolutionary development are slow and "The 

 mill of the gods grind slowly, but they grind exceedingly 

 fine." This document was the voice of the people In the 

 sheep pasture crying — arise and assert your rights; right 

 makes might. 



The seeds of liberty were thus sown, but the moral mind 

 had not developed to a point of understanding that liberty 

 and freedom are natural rights belonging to all men of all 

 races and not alone to a particular race. For centuries the 

 sons of the men of Runnemfede were jealous of their own 

 political and civil rights, but heedless of the rights of other 

 races. This was an Inherited idea for Aristotle defended 

 slavery on the basis of "diversity of races." In both Greece 

 and Rome in the later days no person could hold a slave of 

 Roman or Grecian blood. 



[75] 



