The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1860-06-29
Lincoln versus Douglas.

The following eloquent tribute to the Dec
laration Of Independence is taken from one
of the speeches of Abraham Lincoln, made
during his exciting, gallant contest for L. S.
Senatorship in 1853:
These communities (the thirteen colonies,)
by their representatives in old Independence
Hall, said to the world of men I'VE hold
these truths to be set-evident, that all men
are born equal: that they are endowed by
their Creator with inalienable rights that a.
mong these are 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-
derstanding of the justice of the Creator to
tits creatures-yes, gentlemen, to all His
crentnrts to the whole great family of man.
In their enlightened belief, nothing STAMPED
with the Divine image and likeness was sent
intS the world to be trodden on, and Gegrad-
ed. and imbruted by its fellows. They grasp
ed not only the race of men then living, but
they reached forward and seized upon the
furthest posterity. They created beacon to
guide their children and their chill drens chill
dren, and The counties' nyriads who should
inhabit the earth in o,ner ages. Wise states
men as they were, they knew the tendency
of prosperity to breed tyrants, and they
established these great self-evident truths
that when in the distant future, some man,
some faction, some interest, should set up the
doctrine that none but rich men, or none but
white men, or none but Anglo Saxon white
men, were entitled to life, liberty, and the
pursuit of happiness, their posterity might
look up again to the Declaration Of Indepen-
dence, and take courage to renew the battle
which their fathers began, SO that truth, and
justice, and mercy, and all the humane and
Christian virtues, mig not be extinguished
from the land so that no man would here
after dare to limit and circumscribe the great
principles on which the temple of liberty was
being built.
Now, my countrymen, if you have been
taught doctrines conflicting with the land
marks of the Declaration of Independence if
You have listened to suggestions which would
take away from its grandeur, and mutlate
its fair proportions if You have been inclin-
ed to believe that all men are not created e.
quail in those inalienable rights enumerated
by our chart of liberty, let me entreat You to
come back-return TO the fountain. whose
waters spring close by the blood of the Rev
olution. Think nothing of me, take no
thought for the political fate of any man
whosoever- come back to the truths that
are in the Declaration of Independence.
You MAY do anything with me YOU choose,
if you will 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 earthly
honor. io ddim to be actuated in this con-
test by something higher than an anxiety for
Office. charge You to drop every insignif-
cant thought for any mans success. 1t is
nothing am nothing Judge Douglas is
nothing. Emt DO not destroy that Immortal
en'bIem Of humanity-the declaration Of
-Imerican Indcpond,nce