The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-02-22

power and character; or principles. The
character of this power is seen as being
youthful, and mild in principle. The
two mild, leading principles, in fact the
grandest principles ever espoused by
any government on earth, are found in
the government Of the United States
of America. These are. civil and re-
ligfous liberty, Republicantsm and
Professionalism. The civil and religious
liberty of all men is, by our consti-
tuition, guaranteed alike to all men:
irrespective Of nationality, creed or
color.
This means self-government This
principle was adopted in the beginning
of our national history on the grounds
that men were capable of self-govern-
ment. That it was right vested in
all men by the Creator to decide each
for himself as to the proper course to
pursue in order to secure happiness.
And this without dictation from kings
or priests. That the government is in
the hands Of the people separately and
collectively. Separately, that each
should govern himself Collectively,
that all should unite in the preServa-
ton Of these rights. Abraham Lin
coin struck the keynote when he said:
''This Is a government of the people,
by the people and for the people" 1t
must follow that in such a government
there would be a separation of church
and state; a distinct line between the
institutions Of religion among the peo-
pie, and the civil matters of the gov
eminent. In other words. all questions
of religion and institutions of religion
must be left with the individual. since
religion is altogether an individual
matter; while all matters of a civil
nature would be In the hands Of the
government, or in the hands Of the
people in their collective capacity, since
civil questions relate to the whole peo-
pie.
It follows therefore, that the people
are supreme In all questions of re-
ligion. each person is supreme In HIM
self to decide for himself and for no
other, as to whether he will be religious
or not. This is clearly in accord with
the words Of the Author Of Christian
ity itself: eff any man hear my words,
and believe not, I judge him not. For
came to serve the world, not to judge
the world. The words that I speak
they shall judge him in that day"
And it follows further: That the peO-
pie, in their collective capacity are
supreme in all civil matters. The peo-
pie are above every branch of the gov
eminent. for it was the people who
made the machinery of the government
and set it's wheels in motion. The diff
ferent branches of the government
and the men who fill these positions
are but servants of the people. to pre-
serve the rights of the people, not to
overthrow them.
That these principles might be pre-
served and perpetuated, Abraham Lin
coin devoted all the energies of hia
life. Listen to his words: ''The peO-
pie of these United States are the
rightful masters of both congress and
courts; not to overthrow the cOnstitu-
ton; but to overthrow the men who
AT -,
coin argued that if the decisions OF
the supreme court upon vital ques-
tons affecting the whole people" were
to be considered as final, from which
there can be no appeal, that instant
1.-The people will have ceased to be
their own rulers. having to that ex-
tent practically resigned their govern
ment into the hands Of that eminent
tribunal"
All this, and more, Mr.. Lincoln said
in regard to a decision of the supreme
court of the United States, which vir-
tUally said that a black man had no
rights that a white man was bound to
respect-a decision that would have
perpetuated civil despotiom. And that
court had seized hold of the federal
constitution, and misinterpreted it as
voicing the very same thing. Mr.. Lin
coin set about to have that decision
reversed. He said: I'VE mean to do
what we can to have the court decide
the other way" I'VE propose so re-
sisting it as to have it reversed if
we can, and a new judicial rule estab-
lished upon the subject" And he held
the American people in crusade
against thus perverting the conStitu-
ton contrary to its original meaning,
contrary to what it says in regard to
the civil rights and liberties Of the
people. And that decision was revers-
ed by the sacrifice of the best treas
ures Of the nation; and the decision
was deluged in a sea Of blood.
Today we are living under another
decision by the supreme court which,
in it's logical result, would perpetuate
a religious depotism. And that decis-
ion is the much lauded one. This is
Christian nation" "a religious people"
and the perverting of the constitution
to sustain it. AS it was charged
against Mr.. Lincoln, that the prin-
ciple Of the right Of appeal to the peo-
pie was revolutionary, and turning the
country over to anarchy, so it Is now.