The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1860-06-07
EimCOlYR 0m fE5e Declaration Of
Independence.

Inc lollOWlhP eloi ucHI tllpuIc W mo
Declaration of Independence is taken
from one of the speeches of the Hon.
Abraham Lincoln, made during his ex-
citing and gallant contest fer the Sena-
torship in 1858:
These communities (the thirteen colo
nies), by their representatives in old IN
dependence Hall, said to the world of
men: We hold these truths to be self
evident, that all men are born equal that
they are endowed by their Creator with
inahenable rights that among these are
life, liberty aud the pursuit of happiness"
This was their majestic Interpretation Of
the economy of the universe. This was
their lofty and wise and noble under
standing cf the justice of the Creator to
His creatures. Tes, gentlemen, to all
His creatures, to the whole great family
of mau. In their enlightened belief,
nothing stamped with the Divine image
and likeness was cent into the world to BE-
troddcn on, and degraded, and imbruted
by It's fellows. They graSped not only
the race Of men then living, but they
reached forward and seized upon the far
thest posteriy, They created beacon
10 guide their children and their child.
reu s children, and the countless myrads
who should inhabit the earth in other
ages. Wise statesmen as they were, they
knew the tendency Of prosperity to breed
tyIantS, and SO they established these
great sclt-eyident truths that when, in
the distant future, some man, some fac
tian. some interest, should set up the
doctrine that none but rich men, or none
but ..Anelo-Saxon white men, were ell
titled to life, liberty, aud the pursuit of
happiness, their postcrity might look up
agal1 to the Declaration Of Independence,
and take courage to renew the battle
which their fathers began, so that truth,
and justice, and mercy, and all the hU-
name and Christian virtues, might not be
cxtinguished from the land so that no
man would hereafter 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 tho
great laws of the Declaration Of Inde-
pendence; if you have listened to sug-.
gestions which would take away from it's
grandeur, aud mutllate the fair symmetry
Of Its proportions ii you have been in
Glued to believe that all men are not
created equal in those inalienable rights
enumerated By our chart OF liberty, let
NE entrea5 you to come back-return to
the fountain, whose waters spring close
by the blood of the Revolution Think
nothing of me-take no thought for the
political fate Of any man whomsoever--
but 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 MT only defeat me
for the Senate, but you may take me and
put me to 9ath. While pretending no
Indifference to earthly honors, | do ctalna
to be actuated in this contest by some
thing higher than an anxiety for Office.
| charge you to drop every paltry and in
significant thought for any mans sue
cess, 1t is nothing; l am nothing
Judge Douglas is nothing. But do not
deStroY that ammortat emblem of'humar-
ity-tde Declaration or 1mericalt inoIe-
peadencs.