Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1860-06-15
Lineoln's EuIogy on the Declaration OF
Independence.


The following eloquent tribute to the Dee
laration of Independence is taken from one OF
the speeches of the Hon. Abraham Lincoln,
made during his exciting and gallant contest
for the Senatorship in 1858:
These committees (the thirteen colonies) by
their representatives in old independence Hall,
said to the world of men "We hold these
truths to be sef-evident, that all men are born
equal that they are endowed by their Crea-
tor with inalienable rights; that among these
are life liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. y
This was their majestic Interpretation of the
economy of the universe. This was their lofty
! and wise and noble understanding OF the JUS
tice of the Creator to his creatures, to the
whole great family of man. In their enlight-
ened belief nothing stamped with the Divine
image aud likeness was sent to be trodden on,
| and degraded, and ilnbruted by its fellows
They grasped not only the race of men then
living, but they reached forward and seized
upon the furthest posterity. They created a
beacon to guide their children and their chill
dren's children, and countless myriad5 who
should inhabit the earth in other ages Wise
statesmen as they were, they knew the tenden'
cy of posterity to breed tyrants, and so they
established these great selfcvident truths that
when, in the distant future, some man, some
faction, some interest, should set up the doc
trine that none but rich men, or none but
white men, or none but Ang!o-Saxon white
men, were entitled to life liberty, and the pur-
suit of happiness, their posterity might look
up again to the Declaration of Independence
and take courage to renew the battle which
i their fathers began, so that truth, and justice
and mercy, and all the humane and Christian
virtues, might not be extinguished from the
land 80 that no man would hereafter dare to
limit and circumscrbe the great principles
on which the temple of liberty was being
built.
Now, my countrymen, If you have beer
taught doctrines conflicting with the grea
landmarks of the Declaration of lndepend
ence if you have listened to suggestions
which would take away from its grandeur
and mutilate the fair symmetry of its proper
tions if you have been inclined to believe
that all men are not created equal in those in
alienable rights enumerated by our chart O
libtrty, let me entreat you to come back--re
turn to the fountain, whose waters spring clost
by the blood of the Revolution. Think moth
ing of me-take no thought for the politica
fate of any man whonsoever-but come bacl
to the truths that are in the Declaration o
Independence.
You may do anything with me you choose
if you can but heed these sacred principles
You may not only defeat me for the Senate
but you may take me and put me to DEATH
While pretending no indifference to earthl,
bonors, do claim to be actuated in this con
test by something higher than anxiety for OF
fee. charge you to drop every paltry ant
insignificant thought for ang mans success
1t is nothing; Judge Douglas is nothing. Blu
do not destroy that immortal emblem Of In
naanty-the Declaration of american hndt
nendence