New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1874-10-01
as the sun to the lesser worlds that circle

as the sun to the lesser worlds that circle
around him.
How plain, how simple, how beautiful are
these political truths, and yet how mighty in
their practical consequences
Ihat all men are created equal; that
they are endowed with certain inalenable
rights; that among these are life, liberty,
and the pursuit of happmes that to secure
these rights governments are instituted among
men, deriving their just power from the con-
sent or the governed that whenever any
form OF government becomes destructive Of
these ends, it is the right of the people to
alter or abolish it, and to institute a new
government, laying its foundation on such
principles and organizing its powers in such
form as to them shall seem most likely to
effect their safety and happiness"
The American'peoplc fought for the estab-
llshment of these principles, and were vic
torlous, and the new nation was founded upon
them. But as with individuals so also with
nations; it is an easy thing to profess high
and holy principles, but quite another thing
to practice them.
At the time when these noble sentiments
were proclaimed, electrifying the world as if
they had been uttered from another Sinai, the
very men who espousea them held thousands
of our race in the bondage of slavery.
With the declaration that all men are ere
afed equa!' we were bought and sold like
merchandise. With the declaration THAT
life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness"
are the inalenable rights of atl they regarded
the life and liberty of the slave as not his
own, but the property Of his master; and
that his pursuit of happiness was at all times
subject to the caprice of his owner. Not
withstandng this inconsistency of profession
and practice, the principles were neverthe-
less true, and Gods holy truths will sooner
or later assert itself as it did after long, long
delay in this instance.
America became free and independent, at
least as regards the white race, she grew in
strength and national Importance. But the
great mrong of slavery grew also, and when
there was no kingdom on earth able to con-
quer Or make her afraid, she began to totter,
and was about to fall before the mighty wrong
that she herself had nourished.
There was one mind in this great land that
saw the danger and had the courage to do
right. When the proper time arrived he
spake, and his words were the death-knell of
slavery and the coronation Of freedom
Abraham Lincoln, President of the Uni
ted States, on the 22d day Of September,
1862, issued his heaven.inspired ProcIama-
ton of Emancipation. He afterwards fell
martyr to the holy cause of Liberty.
The martyred President lived to make good
his words. On the LIST of January following
he issued his proclamation that gave effect
to the principles THAT all men are created
free and equal"
1t is a noteworthy fact that the proclanla-
ton of freedom went forth on the 22d day of
September. On this day all nature seems
to be brought into conditions of equality.
The sun returning from the Northern Soltice
hangs midway between the fales. 1t shines
equally upon both hemispheres. The DAYS
and nights are..ofe qual length. The extremes
of heat and cold are modified into equality;
the toll of the year Is ended, the laborer is
free-the harvest is shared by all. 1t is
earth's natural Sabbath. The sun looks
down upon a world in equpoise.
Happy coincident-that equality which
on this day reigns throughout all nature
find its parallel in the hearts of mighty ma
ton. For as on this day the sun in mid
heaven proclaims universal equality-so was
the ODD day Of September chosen by our mar
tyred President to proclaim as with voice
from heaven, that "au men are created free
andequal."