The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-02-12

nation Is 10 be saved from corruption
and led to the fulilllment oclts lofty
destiny The following messages are
therefore OF unusua. Interest 'i.si
In this work the league has the CO.
operation Of leading men In al lines OF
NE, and Its headquarters In Chicago,
are the center OF one OF the most I'M,
p0rtart national movements OF the age.
LOVE FOR THE PEOPLE.
The foundation OF LIncoln's political
belief was the maxim OF the Declaration
ofIndependtnce that all men must have
a right to life, liberty and the pursuit or
happiness. In his day the first OF these
rights, the right to lie, was fully recog-
nized throughout the nation. But the
second and third. the rights 70 liberty
and the pursuit OF happiness. were by
the institution OF slavery In Ilfteen
states denied 10 the millions OF negroes,
most OF whom were born In America.
1t was Lincoln's words and work that
gave to them, as well as to every future
American, native or naturallzed, the
full recognition OF the second and third
clauses OF the maxim OF the DECLARE
ton. y.
While the legal right to the pursuit OF
happiness is now full and complete, Its
enjoyment Is sometimes Is sometimes
obstructed by law-breakers, sometimes
by the environment OF harsh social con-
ditions; and 10 prevent. remove or nit
lgGte such distractions OF either kind
Is one OF the political problems OF our
day
In his Gettysburg address Lincoln de-
fined our government to be government
OF the people. by the people. for the peo-
pie" Scanning this definition critically,
we find that government Of the people
must not only be for the people, but 1t
must be by the people. Government for
the people Is clearly blessing, a priv
ilege: but government by the people is
as clearly u duty. a labor. We cannot
have something for nothing. To enjoy
political privileges We must earnestly
and consclentlously perform political
duties. Not only all neglect Of these
duties. but also all error in their per-
Torrance inevitably recoils upon our
selves. We must not only vote, but We
must vote intelligently and conscien-
tlously to remove distractions 10 the
pursuit Of happiness.
In his struggle with the Institution OF
slavery Lincoln laid down the rule that
"he who would be no slave must consent
to have no slave" This rule, translated
to our day. plainly Is that he who would
suffer no wrong from society must do
no wrong to society. Applied to certain
questions the rule would read, they who
would enjoy the benefit Of association
must not abuse the powers OF associa-
ton, and they who see the protection OF
law must not violate the law
Changing social conditions require
change and improvement in laws. and
Mr.. Lincoln has told us how this is to
be effected. Our government, he says,
rests in public opinion. with public
sentiment nothing can fall; without It
nothing can succeed. Consequently he
who molds public opinion goes deeper
than he who enac;s statutes or pro-
nounces decisions. Ee macs statutes
and decisions possible or impossible to
be executed. AS consequence Mr..
Llncoln's words give emphatic warning
against the insidious influence OF false
doctrines. He courts honest statement
and correct logic. he scouts subterfuge
and evasion. He counsels fairness in
discussion. generous liberation in diff
ference ofviews. extreme moderation in
Judgment, but innexibe adherence to
deliberately formed principles. "Letus
have faith that right makes might" he
says. ''and in that faith let us dare to
do our duty as we understand It,"
JNO. C. NICoLAY.
formerly private secretary to Presi-
dent Lincoln.)
HIS RUGGED HONESTY.
That which impressed me most as !
recall Llncoln's character is his rugged
honesty. He was the Cato Of coRtem-
porary statesmen. The crying need in
political life to-day is for manlness.
Lincoln was thoroughly manly. He
combined candor. courage. self-sacrifice,
and these made him the idol OF the PED
pie. We have politicians enough who
are calculating and prudent. They have
shrewdncss and insight to a degree. but
they are sadly lacking in the sterner
traits which win our unqucstionable
confidence. Many Of them are known to
be schemers and charlatans. Only here
and there 4 man in political life COM
mands our esteem as wholly trust
worthy. This holluwness ut the core Is
the bane Of the republic. 1t bates our
breath when we would eulogize our an
situations. II sickens us OF. democracy.
1t drives good people out of politics We
cry In our haste. "AlI men are liars"
The God-fearlnS feel more and more like
seeking help from God. for vain Is the
help OF man. Now and then a man like
Lincoln appears upon the stage and re-
assures us. He has an ethical backbone.
He is not a church man. Il Is true. but
he believes In God-honors and obeys
him. He never escapes crowdtng
sense OF responsibility. nor does he wish
to. He believes himself man OF destl-
ny; the man for the hour. This does not
innate him. It hunr5les him. Boosting
Is excluded by the sense he has OF the
real grandeur of the occasion In which
he is called to act. And SO he never
poses or drnmatlZes or calls attention to
himself. He is severely. humorously
natural. He Is the man of the people
consciously So. He loves them and lives
for them In every thought and act And
the people love him. and. what is even
better, they trust him. To them he Is
always honest Abe" The renaissance
we sadly need Is return to honest. poll
ties We may be thankful that we are
not bcrcft OF such. In the more recent
years there have been shining instances
of gu!leless patriotism and honest SER
vice in exalted places, hut the eXcrn-
plnry character OF rare men only brings
into striking contrast the moral worth
lessness OF the many 'w-ho corrupt and
disgrace the sacred trusts they hold.
IA public office Is public trust Ii Is
n burning shame that matters have
reached such pass with us that sincer-
ty and devotion TO the public veal In the
ordinary politician should be deemed