The Portland daily press., 1880-09-07
PRICE 3 CENTS.
.-7t""' Detroit Post and 'TribuneN s"t a.
Putting Out the Moral Lights.


/ In Abraham Lincolns grand opening speech
Of his renowned struggle with Stephen A.
Douglas, in 1858, he charged the Democratic
party, which was then defending slavery, with
"putting out the moral lights all about hs."
This charge was one of those striking EXPIRES
sions which went home to the minds and con-
sciences of thoughtful and good men an over
the country. The writer .hefs6f Wen efsnniiem-
'befs the vivid impression il produced intfe re-
'ligious' and moral world at that time THE
Gatmoral lights" referred to BY that greatest Of
American orators and teachers, wefs Sthe
grand light Of freedom, illuminating the rights
Of all men to life. liberty and the pursuit of
happiness, shining like a beacon for the ages
in the Declaration Of Independence the light
Of honesty in politics, put out by pto-slayery
sophistries, the Democratic repeal Of the SOL
emn bond Of the Missouri" compromise, and
Democratic attempts TO Set DIP the cheat of
sqqatter sovereignty and to force pfo-slaSery
constitution upon theunwiiling people II Kan
sas By fraud; the great lights Of peace ana law.
drowned in a sea OF blood and violence ih Kan
sas and in the lights Of the Christian religion
Of peace, goodwill to all men, the brotherhood
Of mankind, and an honest respect fof the
right of all, Shining in he .SSlaSn maxim:
Therefore. all things whatsoever ys would
that men should do, to you, do ye even So to
them; for this is the law and the 'prophsts:.'
!. The. Democratic party Is nov. again epgaged
I ali about u.s." Something larger, DEEPER, and
of more importance than the Carrying 0f any
election, or the success Of any olitical party,
, is involved in the frauds and CRIMES BY which
the South has been made and is Kept ,sSlid for
moeracy by these methods AZ the South has
already put, out the moral. 1igh ot honesty.
public, virtue, and respsct fSf tie fhts 9th
ers, in more. than one third N the RsRdblic.
has already dangsSSSsl dsbaaShsS tss pIb
Union, Men who are esteemed honest, and
Of successful cheating IN elections, and party
successes obtained through dark and damning
Sri%ss S e hgh. and trivial %at :; IS
placing the Democratic ,Rartty fl hail power,
and ar the youth In the land WIN be Mtght
that dishonesty IN, politics, frauds in Slections,
and even trampling. by violsnca and crime
sSs psop saFS rg
tricks; that all means, foul or faif. are lHgiti-
mate in politics; and that The the basest dlShon-
,esty and the most oHtrageops Cheating are
almost, II not quite, as rspYt IA election
SSs%paigns Ssap aga as hSAsss and awaha good
. Tie manly Virtues :'of ahOhof,. thSoRssty, and
dusty, DDS M and T pfoaiss q bssSas sid sshiSned
and out Of use YET these we're o9psidtsrsa by
which not only 3hs glofyI,n but The, Pefpsfaity
Of the Republic were fo9ndsdy Its PerPetuity,
because even debauched, and degradSd 'peo-
PIE will sooner or later refuse to, 6d sgoysfned
fraud EhSss Sds Rs fS% and
strong neoif,le vi not fony s snatentlv cofisent
e be ruled 81 goyefSne$t BIT ihtS pSSsr by
juggle of, loaded dice, when they hay fHem.
selves seen the dice loaded. iIf the people of
certain States. submit TO State governments
grads themselves; But they must s not Count
upon the people Of other and more yirtqous
States long Of patiently submitting TO be gov
erned by Congresses and r residents ELECTED by
solid knayeIy and inauggratsd through false
dependence, honesty and homer prevail the
people will not submissiYely bow their necks
, to the yoke OF Q rule based upon dishonor and
lies There would be a dark and menacing
!, peril to the future peace Of the Republic in
re success p TIE Alabama plan N capturing
But the decadencs 81 public n yttstue.-:the ttt put
I ting out Of the moral lights Of honor, honesty
and fair play. in this .couetry-1.is s9msthing
more than q political crime. # i11dermines,
, Religion and morals II mocks, mo- aud puts to
shame the central doctrines Of Chrisfianity.
.0f. what aYail will be pu1pits and Sanday school
among people whose very, goverpment, self
chosen, or self snbmitted-to, Is q lie apd
fraud, known, shameless, .brszsn? where DIS
honesty rules, and that which should 'be honor
. lies contented in the Hind TO BE- tram plsd upon
BY knayes and profisA Atess -. =, !, ,...~...s
There was time when the American. peo-
pie had a conscience, and stern; ,one;. when
men were ready, to resist 2. wrong tothH death,
or die in the defense Of righteousness, freedom
and honesty; when il was Dangerous 70 Giaee
with high principles, or to put out the moral
lights toward whose shining beacons the fath-
.ers and mothers 81 the land directed the faces
OF their little ones and taught them the ,pld-
/ fashioned lessons of honesty :. apd fair play.
Shall AL these lights be put qlt and the nation
be left to sit in darkness and given over 70 the
dominion Of evil? DO meh think that public
virtue can be slain and private yirtpe still hve?
that dishonesty and vice. can he set up. and
worshipped by the nation in the capitol, and
virtue be preserved in the churches, the schools
and the home cltcfe?' II rhsy do, II isa fatal
error. Once allow 1.-THE moral lights to be put
ont all about ps,@" and there is NJ fire that can
I-saft is high time for All who'stfi fevsrs the
virtues Of. .civilizstien and Ca fspianity to
|rawaken TO tina perils which menace them, and
take active measures to keep the moral lights
about us bright, clear and Conspicuous