The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1900-10-05

the class of people whom the re-
publican party is to fight this year.
The leaders are of the same class
as were the 1scopperheads" during
the administration of President
Lincoln. We can find in the at
tacks made on President Lincoln
at that time almost the exact lam
guage as that used by Mr.. Godkin.
Mr.. Lincoln, it is said, committed
faults unknown to former presi-
dents. When he called for $4,000
volunteers, this same class de-
nounced the act as an attempt to
coerce without their consent the
free people of the south. The
same cry Of "no government with
out the consent of the governed"
was brought to bear. The same
hypocritical tears were shed over
the declaration of independence.
The same hands were held up in
holy horror over the violation of
the constitution. Later when
Abraham Lincoln signed that great
proclamation which was intended
to free millions of human beings,
an intention which would have
been carried out in spirit, as we'll
as in letter, had it not been for
continuous acts of oppression by
the democrats of the south; when
he signed this great proclamation
how this same class of degenerates
did cry out against the violation of
the sacred property rights of the
southern people. How they sheer
ed at the abolitionists, and how
they compared Abraham Lincoln's
proclamation to the acts of the
British during the Revolutionary
war. in securing the cooperation
If the savage Indians to massacre
American settlers. All these
things are matters of history. 1t
seems almost impossible to us now
that these sentiments were ever
expressed by American citizens,
living under the broad light of
American civilization. These men
called God to witness that slavery
was right; that a man because he
was white, had a God given right
to barter and sell his own flesh and
blood; that Abraham Lincoln,
whose immortal name Bryan pol
lutes by his quotations, was a
traitor and violator of the Liberties
of the American people. These
things were said by preachers of
the gospel, by writer's and men of
prominence just as they are being
said today, and we believe that
when another generation has pass
ed the traducers of President Nc
.Kinley will be classed in the minds
and hearts of the American people
with these men, as people who
failed to grasp the ideas of Amer
lean progress and of the God given
destiny of our nation.
Mr.. Godkin's letter is an insult
to the good sense of the American
people; to the honor of its con-
gress and to the patriotism of its
soldiery. We appeal to all right
thinking, sober minded people if
they wish to join hands with the
Godkins and the Atkinsons of the
east in their wild denunciations of
an administration that has done
more to promote the prosperity
and welfare of this nation than any
other administration in its history,
and that has accomplished more
for the general uplifting of man
kind, and the progress of civiliza-
ton throughout the world, than
has been done by any American
since Abraham Lincoln signed
that "traitorous" CD proclama-
ton. Do not endorse these de-
tractors by your vote at the polls.
Do not say to the world that the
American people repudiated one of
the grandest chapters in their his
tory. 1t is we'll to look backward,
but let us not go backward. The
hand of destiny points to every
man his way; the door Of oppor-
tunity is open at some time to all.
Those who press onward reach the