The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-08-11
Ingersoll and the Constitution.


well pleased with himself as when he is
in state of eruption. His egotism is
of that superbly complacent sort which
compels him to believe that everything
he says is so smart and brilliant that
the people work themselves into uncon-
trollable hiccoughs, superinduced by
excessive laughter at his alleged wit ev-
cry time he opens his lips. Speaking re-
Gently upon the prevailing topic of the
nations tendency towards territorial
expansion, he says:
cit is better to expand than to shriv-
ell; and if our constitution is too mar
row to spread over the territory that
we have the courage to acquire, why,
we can make broader one. 1t is a
very easy matter to make a constitu-
ton, and no human happiness, no pros
perity, no progress should be sacri-
feed for the sake of piece of paper
with writing on it, because there is
plenty of men to do the writing and
plenty of people to say what the writ
ing should be-
Col Ingersoll might also have added
with absolute truthfulness that it is a
perfectly easy matter for man endoW-
ed with a superb intellect to make not
only an ass, but an absolute nuisance
of himself, to say nothing of his power
to create mischief by the dissemina-
ton of spirit of irreverence for ev-
erything wholesome and sacred among
the younger generations whose minds
are receptive to false as we'll as true
doctrines and teachings. This man
fxx-ny ,fxyx ocn Id
of the most brilliant Americans Of the
century. He won this high esteem
through the power of his oratory. Just
like our young republic Of today, he
became enthused over the presumed ex-
istence Of his own greatness, and in
that critical moment he set out to ex-
pand himself over larger area. He
doubtless acted upon his present theory
that cit is better to expand than to
shrivel" He is in himself and through
his experience a conspicuous illustra-
ton of the dangers attending such a
policy, inasmuch as no conspicuous man
of this generation has shriveled in so
marked a degree in public esteem, in
power of usefulness to the world at
large in all things that promote virtue,
is noble in manhood and life as a
whole, as has Col. IngersoII. Long
since his stereotyped wit became nause-
ating to sensible and thoughtful men
and women. His catch-penny platform
lectures have ceased to be patronized
by any save those who go to see the
monstrosity rather than to hear him.
His so-called wit has degenerated to
II TIL,
quoted above are specimens. Capable
of having taken high rank as lead
er, he has been relegated to that Of the
ordinary clown, whose opinions have
ceased to have any weight among in
telligent people, and whose personality
even has come to be offensive to many
| self-respecting men.
The constitution Of the United States
| is too sacred an instrument to be tri-
| fled with. Among other things, under
Its liberal provisions, Col. Ingersoll has
| been enabled to enrich himself by SOW
| ing the seeds Of doubt and false con-
| ceptions of things holy in the minds of
| two generations. He has found his re-
ward so far as this world goes; but he
should be warned against assaults upon
the constitution Of the United States.
even in the practice of his peculiar
style Of buffoonery. Whatever may be
the degree Of doubt in which the origin
and inspiration Of the Bible may be
involved, there is no doubt concernine
the origin and inspiration Of the consti-
tuition; and this is time in which the
people are ready to protect that docu-
ment against even the sneers of Col.
Ingersoll.