The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1860-07-26
Letter ffom Absahan Llncoln.

From the Ase6aa lMe,) Josrnail
Ans nePuuaacsesV u bosson celebrated
Thomas Je6erson's birth day on the 18th
of April, 1859. Among those invited
to be present was the Hon. Abraham
Lincoln, who responded in q letter of
great power and remarkable felicity Of
expression. We thought at the time that
OF all the political letters We had ever
read, it was the most pointed and most
forcible, and our great surprise is that up
to this time, 30 far as we have observed,
it has not been re-published. After dill.
gent search among some old "clippings"
we have succeeded in finding it, and with
peculiar pleasure lay it before our read
ers. 1t is platform in itself, worth the
endorsement Of all who believe in the
fundamen tal doctrines Of free government
as taught by Thomas Jefferson. Here is
the letter:
SPRINGFIELD, ILL.,, April 6, 1859
GENTLEMEN Your kind note, invit-
ing me to attend festival in Boston, on
tie 18th inst, in honor of the birth day
Of Thomas Jefferson, was duly received.
My engagements are such that cannot
attend. Bearing in mind that about sew.
enty years ago, two great political parties
we're first formed in this country that
Thomas Jefferson was the head of one of
them, and Boston the headquarters of the
other, it is both curious and interesting
that those supposed to descend politically
from the party opposed to Jefferson,
should now be celebrating his birth day
in their own original seat Of empire, while
those claiming political descent from him
have nearly ceased to breath his name
everywhere.
Remembering, too, that the jefferson
party was formed on its supposed super.
ior devotion to the personal rights Of
men, holding the rights of property to be
secondary only, and greatly inferior and
then assuming that the 50 called Democ
raey OF to-day are tho Jefferson, and thei,
opponents the Jefferson parties, il
viii BE- .1.-nJ :-.sssesIi.1 to note how
completely the two have changed ground
as to the principles upon which they
were originally supposed to be divided
The Democracy Of to-day hold the lib
erty Of one man to be absolutely nothing
when in conflict with another mans
right of property. Republicans, on the
contrary, are both for the man and the
dollar, but in case Of conflict, the man
before the dollar.
remember being once much amused
at seeing two partially intoxicated mer
engaged in fight with their great coats
which fight, after a long and harmless
contest, ended in each one having tough
himself out of his own coat and into tina
Of the other. If the two leading partie
Of this day are really identified with tn
two in the days of jefferson and Adams
they have performed the same feat as tn
two drunken men.
But soberly, it is now no child's pls
to save the principles Of Jefferson fror
total overthrow in this nation.
One would state with great con6denc
that he could convince any sane chill
that the simpler propositions of Eucli
are true bat, nevertheless, he would ia
with one who should deny the definition
and axioms. The principles Of Jefferso
are the definitions and sxioms of free 81
ciety And yet they are denied an
eyaded, with no small show Of scccess.-
One dashingly calls them "glit,e-."
reneralities." Another bluntly style
, them .Self-cvident lies And othe1
iusiduously argue that they apply onl
to "superior races
, These expressions, differing in foru
, are identical in object and effect-tf
, supplanting Of the principles Of free 60
: eminent, and restoring those of classi
9 cation, caste aud Legitimacy. They wou
!. delight convocation of crowned heat
e plotting against the people. They a,
: the vanguard, the sappers and miners,
8 returning dcspotism. We must repul:
q them, or they will subjugatc US.
= This is world of compensations; an
}, he who would be no slave must consc,
}. to have no slave. Those who deny free
o dom to others deserve it not to themse
o YES and, under just God, cannot Ion
). retain it.
Q All honor to Jefferson-to the ma
}, who, in the concrete pressure of a stru,
g gle for national independence by sing
}. people, had the GOODNESS, forecast and c
i pacity to introduce into merely revolt
}. tionary document an abstract truth, o,
5 plicable to all men and all times, and
: to embalm it there, that to-day and
$ all coming days it shall be rebuke and
! stumbling block to the harbingers Of r
9 appearing tyranny and oppression.
q Your obedient servant,
: A. LINCOLN.
q Messrs. H. D. PIERCE, and others, &,