The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1896-08-20
Quotes From President Lincoln.

l assert that property rights, as we'll as
the rights of persons, are safe in the hands
OF the common people. Abraham Lincoln,
in his message sent to congress in Dccem-
Der, 1861, said "No men living arc more
worthy to be trusted than those who toll
up from poverty, mono less inclined to
take or touch aught which they have not
| honestly earned" 1 repeat his language
with unqualified approval and join with
| him in tho warning which he added
/ namely, ''LCt them beware of surrender
! ing political power which they already
possess, and which power, if surrendered,
| will surely be used to close the doors Of ad-
vancemcnt against such as they and to fix
now disabilities and burdens upon them
till all of liberty shall be lost" Those who
daily follow the injunction. lin the sweat
| of thy face shalt thou cat bread. arc now,
! as they ever have been, the bulwark Of
! law and order, the source of our nations
greatness in time Of peace and its surest
/ defenders in timc of war.
But / have only read q part of Jackson s
uttcrancc. Let me give you his conclusion,
/ But when the laws undertake to add to
/ those natural and just advantages artificial
distinctions, to grant titles, gratuities and
! exclusive privileges, to make the rich rich
| cr and the pOtcn. moro powerful, the hum
| bic members of society, the farmers, ne
! chanicS and the day labOrers, who have
neither the time nor the means OF securing
/ like fayors for themselves have q right to
! complain Of the injustice of their govern
ment'' Those who support the Chicago
| platform indOrsc all Of the quotation from
! jackson, the latter part as we'll as the
, former part.
We are not surprised to find arrayed
! against us those who arc the bencfciarles
of government favoritism. They have read
our platform. Nor arc we surprised to
learn that we must in this campaign face
! the hostility of those who find 4 pecuniary
advantage in advocating the doctrine OF
/ nonintcrfcrence when great aggregatlons OF
wealth are trespassing upon the rights OF
Individuals We welcome such opposition.
1t is tho highest Endorsement which
could be bestowed upon us. Weare content
to have the cooperation of those who desire
to have the government administered with
out fear or favor. 1t is not the wish OF the
general public that trusts should spring
into existence and override the weaker
members of society. 1t is not the wish OF
the general public that these trusts should
destroy competition and then collect such
tax as they will from those who are at
their mercy Nor is it the fault of the gen
cral puhlic that the inStrumentalltleS OF
government have been so often prostituted
to purposes of private gain. Those who
stand upon the Chicago platform believe
that the government should not only avoid
wrongdoing, but that it should also pre-
} vent wrongdoing, and they believe that
the law should be enforced alike against
all enemies OF the public veal. They dc
not excuse petit larceny, but they declare
that grand larceny is equally a crime. They
do not defend the occupation of the high
wayman who robs the unsuspecting trav-
cler, but they include among the transgress'
ors those who. through the more polite ant
less hazardous means of legislation, appro
criatc to their own use the proceeds of tn
soil of others. The commandment, "Thol
shalt not steal,' thundered from Sinai ant
reiterated in the legislation of all nations
is no rcspecter of persons 1t must be ap
piled to the great as we'll as the small, t.
the strong as we'll as the weak, to the COZ