The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1900-11-02
MCKINLEY ON DOUGLAS PLAT
FORM

IN ents and extended the doctrines OF
the old Federalist and the older Tories
SO now the Republicans of 1900 are
using the arguments Of the pro slavery
Democrats of the late SOS and early
COS. They no longer quote Lincoln.
1t is from Stephen A. Douglas they
draw their inspiration. Out Of his
philosophy they frame their attacks
upon the Declaration of Independence
and with his arguments they justify
their assaults upon the liberties Of O.
weaker people.
The Democrats OF 1900 have only
the relation Of name to the Demo
Gratis who followed Douglas in his bit
ter fight for the maintenance Of slav-
cry. Their relation to the Republi-
cans who followed Lincoln in his
great battle for human rights with
out regard to color or condition is one
of blood kinship. Lincoln himself
was Jeffersonian Democrat and he
drank at the fountain of truth spring
ing from that giant of the centuries.
And as Lincoln quoted Jefferson and
looked to him for truth and guidance
30 Democrats today quote Lincoln
and follow the lines of his masterful
leadership.
Curiously enough the Republicans
shun Lincoln'as they would shun a
a pestilence. They dare not appeal
to him. His words are their deadliest
reproach. From his philosophy they
can extract no comfort for their pre-,
tensions. So they are forced back
upon Lincoln's old enemy. 1t is to
Stephen A. Douglas they turn for
every sentiment to which they now
give voice.
That this is true single quotation
from Douglas will clearly show. In
his speech at Jonesboro, ILL.,, Sept. Is,
1858, Judge Douglas succinctly stated
his position. He said:
II do not believe that the Almighty
made the negro capable of selfgov.
eminent. l am aware that all the
abolitionist lecturers that you find
travelling about through the country
are in the habit of reading the decla.
ration of independence to prove that
all men were created equal and en-.
dowed with the inalienable right oil
equality with white men. Now, !
say to you, M fellow citizens, that in
my opinion the signers of the declara,
ton had no reference to the negro
whatever when they declared all men
to be created equal. They desire e
express by that phrase white men,
men of European birth and European
descent, and had not reference either
to the negro, the savage Indians, the
Feejee, the Malay or any other in
ferior and degraded race. when they
spoke Of the equality of men. One
great evidence that such was their
understanding is to be found in this
fact that at that time every one of the
thirteen colonies was a slave holding
colony; every signer of the declara
ton of independence represented &
slave. holding constituency, and We
know that no one of them enamel
pated his slaves, much less Offered
citizenship to them, when they signed
the declaration; and yet, il they in
tended to declare that the negro wa,
the equal to the white man, entitled
by divine right to an equality with
him, they were bound, as homes
men, that day and hour to have pu
their negroes on an equality with
themselves. 1t does not fol
low by any means that because {
negro is not your equal or mine, tina
hence he must necessarily be a slave
On the contrary, it does follow thar
we ought to extend to the negro every
right, every immunity which he is ca
pable Of enjoying, consistent with the
good OF society.
Is this not the position of William
Mckinley today Are not these argu
ments Of Douglas the argumenss OF
the Republican imperialists who talk
of duty and destiny and urge upon
the country that brown men and
black men in the Philippines and in
Porto Rico are not fit for self-govern-
ment.
The parties have changed places.
The names remain the same; but the
vital principles which animated the
Republication Of Lincoln now ami
mate the Democracy of Bryan. The
reactionary spirit that was the con.
trolling force in the Democracy OF
Douglas is today the moving power
behind the Republicanism of Hanna
and Mckinley.
And as the reactionary spirit was
the death Of the old Democracy, SO il
will be the death of the new Republi.
canism whose prophet is Hanna, The
stars in their courses fight against it.
DO not forget that the Demo,
cratic ticket is the first on the off
cial ballot this year. The emblem
is Jackson and Liberty. Make but
one mark and that opposite the
emblem.