Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1860-06-01
Lincoln on the Declaration Of Indepen
dence

| The following eloquent tribute to the Dec
laration of Independence is taken from one Of
the speeches Of the Hon. Abram Lincoln.
made during his exciting and gallant contest
for the Senatorship in 1858:
These communities (thc thirteen colonies
by their representatives in old Independence
Hall, said to the world Of men: 1--WE hold
these truths to be selfevident, that NIL men
arc born equal; that they are endowed ,by
their Creator with inalienable rights; that
among these arc life, liberty, and the pursuit
of happiness" This was their majestic in
depreciation Of the economy of the universe.
This was their lofty and wise and noble un.
dcrstanding ofth ejustice Of the Creator TOLLS
creatures. Yes, gentleman, to all His crea-
lures, to the whole great family of man. In
their enlightned belief, nothing stamped with
the Divine image and likeness was sent into
the world to be trodden on, and degraded,
and imbruted by its fellows. They graspcd
not only the race Of men then living, but they
reached forward and seized upon the farthest
postcrity. They created beacon to guide
their children and their chidren's children,
and the countless myriads who should inhapit
the earth in other ages. Wise statesmen as
they were, they knew the tendency Of pros
perity to breed tyrants, and so they estab-
lished these great selfevidcnt truths that
when, in the distant future some man, some
faction, some interest, should set mp the doc
trine that none but rich men, or none but
white mc:,, or none but Anglo-Saxon white
men, were entitled to life, liberty, and tho
pursuit of happiness, their posterity might
look up again to the Declaration Of lndepcn-
dence, and take courage to renew the battle
which their fathers began so that truth, and
,,,cfi ov,I c1l xho
Christian virtues, might not be extinguished
from the land; so that no man would hereaf.
ter dare to limit and circumscribe the great
principles on which the temple of liberty was
being built.
Now, my countrymcn, if you have been
taught doctrines conflicting with the great
land marks Of the Declaration Of Indcpcn-
dence; if you have listened to suggestions
which would take away its grandeur and
mutilatc the fair symmetry Of its proportions;
if you have been inclined to believe that all
men are not created equal in those inalien-
able rights enumerated by our chart Of libcr-
ty, let me entrcat you to come back--rc-
turn to the fountain, whose waters spring
close by the blood of the Revolution. Think
nothing of mc--take no thought for political
fate of any man whomsOevcr-bu come back
to the truths that are in the Declaration Of
Independence.
You may do anything with me you choose,
if you will but heed these sacred principles
You may not only defeat me for the Sem
ate, but you may take me and put me to
death. While pretending no indifference IL
earthly honors do claim to be act,intcd in
this contest by something higher than ap
anxiety for Office. charge you to drop every
paltry and insignificant thought for any mans
success. 1t is nothing; lam nothing Judge
Douglas is nothing But do not destroy that
immortal emblem Of humanity-Me Ueclar-
alton Of American Independence.