The evening times., 1898-04-16
LETTERSFROM TIMES READERS


The Voice of the Fathers.
To the Editor of The Times:
Let the Congress Of the United States
remember Mr.. LincoIn's speech at Get
tysburg. at the dedication of the Ma
tional Cemetery, November 19 1853:
-Four score and seven years ago our fathers
brought forth upon this continent rev nation,
conceived in liberty and dedicated to the prop
osition that all men created equal. Now We
are engaged IN a great civil war, testing whetnef
that nation, or any nation conceived and go
dedicated. can long endure. We are met ON
great battlefield of that We have come 10
dedicate portion of that field as a Iina resting
place for those who here gave their lives that the
nation might live. IL is altogether ittin2 and
proper that should do this. But IN larger
sense, we cannot dedicste-we- cannot consecrdte
we cannot hallow-this ground. The brave men,
living and dead, who struggled here, have con
secrated it far above our power TO add or de-
tract. The world will little note. nor long re-
member, what we say here. but it can never Tor
get what they did here. Ii ia for us, the living
that they have thus far so nobly advanced. IL
is rather for to be here dedicated TO the
great task remaining before us-that from these
honored dead We take increased devotion 10 the
cause for which they here gave the last full
measure of deyotion-that we here highly re-
solve that these dead shall not have died in vain -
that this nation, under God, shall have new
birth of freedom and that government Of the
people, by the people, and for the people, shdIl
not perish from the earth.
Have ye, OH senator's and representa-
tives this dedication? Will ye from those
honored dead take increased devotion to
the cause for which they gave the last
full measure of DEVOTION are ye highly
resolved that they shall not have died in
vain? Are we resolved that this nation
shall have a new birth of freedom; that
IL shall follow the law of its being and
be the champion of freedom; that gov
ernment of the people by the people
and for the people shall not perish from
the earth?
Remember: America has seen no such
days as these days since the early days
OF July lI16. We are now to determine
again whether call men are created
equal. Endowed by their Crea-
tor with certain unalienable rights.
Among those are life. liberty and the
pursuit of happiness We are to de-
termine which-the rights of men, or
the power of money-shan prevail
Whether government of the people by
the people and for the people shall per-
ish from the earth" and a government
of money. by money. for money. the
forerunner of an empire shall take its
place.
The issue in 1861. was important
enough, God knows: but the issue of the
present Is more important still. The is
sue of 1851. was whether there should be
two republics or one: the issue of 1898 is
whether there shall be one republic or
none.
Oh, senators and representatives. We
are the trustees for liberty; we may be
overruled later on hut that lessons not
your duty. Choose well.
The future hides in 1t both gladness and sorrow;
Think well Of the morrow;
Choose we'll
Before the dark portal stand there immortal
Choose well; your choice is brief. but YET end
less"
AMERICAN