The Columbus journal., 1884-07-30

We noticed recently q newspaper ar
icle that questioned Lincoln's title to the
now familiar phrase from his famous
Gettysburg speech, describing Our
Government as Government of the
people. by the people. for the people. :"
The article was piece of hypercriti-
cism. And, curiously enough, the criti-
cism itself lacked originality. For Bart
lett, in his famous Familiar Quota
ions." had years before noticed the
similarity of the phrase to expressions
used by Webster and Parker in
speeches delivered by them respectively
IN 1880 and 1850 Lincoln's title is not
shaken thereby. He gave the idea and
expression a place and setting which
made it famous. Emerson somewhere
says ''our best thoughts are borrowed
from Others" and he also says that
''thought is the property of him who can
entertain it. and of him who can ade-
quately place it." Lincoln SO enter
tanned and placed this thought as to
make it his property. He gave it its force
and currency.
Literature abounds in such cOinci-
dences. ANY one curious in such mat
ters can readily satisfy their curiosity
by reference to any good book of 'quo-
tions." We call attention to several
not heretofore noticed, SO far as We
know. Grant is the author of some
famous and current sayings. Let no
guilty man escape" is one OF them.
This phrase is part of an endorsement
upon letter concerning the whisky-ring
prosecutions, made by him officially,
while President 1t is characteristic of
the man. and undoubtedly original with
him. At the same time the phrase is to
be found in Ben Johnson's ''Cataline, !"
as follows:
The gods
Grow angry with your patience "Tis their
! And must be yours. that guilty men escape
not.
As crimes do grow. justice must rouse it.
Self. Act LII.
Webster's beautiful figure in describ-
ing the power of England, in his speech
of MAY Z. 1884. as "a power which has
dotted over the surface of the whole
globe with her possessions and military
posts, whose. Rorning drum-beat. fol-
lowing the sun and keeping company
with the hours, circles the earth with
one continuous and unbroken strain of
the martial airs of England" is familiar
10 every school-boy. Bartlett notices
the fact that SO long ago as 164S, it was
said both of the Hollandcrs and Span
iards that 1.-The sun never sets upon their
dominions;" and that Schiller in Don
Karlos says, .'the sun in my dominion
never SETS" and that Waiter Scott in
his ..Napolcon,' says, 1.-THE sun never
sets on the immense empire of Charles
"" Yet, no one would seriously qnes
ton Webster's originality. 1t has oc-
CURED to us as not improbable that
Webster's description of EnglaId's S
''miltary posts. whose morning drum
beat circles the EARTH" NAV have sug-
gcsted Emcrson's spiended couplet-
Here once the cmbattlcd farmers stood.
And fired the shot heard round the world"
Stranger than all, however. if it be a
mere coincidence, is the coincidence in
the language employed by Lord Mans
field, i'm his noted opinion in the case of
employed by the poet Cowper in the
Task on slavery: Lord Mansfield, in
his opinion on the case said: The air
of England has long been too pure for
slave, and every man is free who
breathes it. Every man who comes in
80 England is entitled to the protection
of English law, whatever may be the
color of his skin" (June 22, 1922
Cowper SAYS (.'The Task" Book ID:
1--WE have slaves at home-then why abrond?
And they themselves once ferried DER the
waves
That part MS are cinancipate and lOOsed.
Slaves cannot breathe in England il their
lungs
Receive our air, that moment they are free.
They touch our country. and their shackles
fall"
IpdiduuDOliS Journal