The sun., 1900-10-20

..THE WORLD Is IN WANT OF
4 GOOD DEFINITION OF THE
WORD LIBERTY"
Abraham Lincoln.
Democratic orators and editors are
lust now apparently very fond of quot
ing these sayings Of the martyred Lin
coin. They pretend to imagine that
somehow or other, these sentiments
from the brain and heart of the man
whom Democrats hated, slandered,
abused and finally murdered, apply often
sively to the position of the Republican
marty. and defensively to the position OF
the Democratic party. How they can
distort them into such shapes and uses
is not easy to determine. They give no
reason for it but simply do 1t.
When Mr. Lincoln uttered these words
he was discussing the question of slavery
AS it then existed in this country and
aimed them directly at the Democratic
party which was then preparing for ITS
ATTEMPT to destroy the Union for the
saving of the institution Of slavery. 80
far therefore as these sentiments apply
to American politics they must first ap-
nly TO the thing mt which lIlcS were
aimed by their author. Al least that
must remain rue until that thing-or
lparty-has been purgcd Of the crime 81
whicl, I.incCln's words are n scattinG re-
bukc. They still apply to the Demo
cratic party and apply 10 il not because
of political cXgcncies arising from 4
foreign war and the necessity of solving
new problems of Statecraft, or at least
Of solving old questions in statccrait
unon n now basis. and for new purpose
but apply to it because of its unchanged
and unchanging attitude toward the
negro race, the subjugation and wrong
ing of which was the inspiration of Lin
coins noble utterances. What he SAID
could have been very reasonably, and
We doubt not that Democrats did so, put
into words like these:
'Those who deny liberty to the negroes
of the Southern States deserve it not for
themselves, and under just God can
not long retain it," and cursed Lincoln
for utter;ng them.
The Democrats not only deny liberty
to the negroes of the South, but have
deliberately taken it from them. Have
taken it from them unmindful of the
chastiscmcnt of the nation for having SO
Hong denied them the liberty the found
ers of the Republic declared to be tho
Iinalicnablc right of all men. The negroes
are III political subjection in the South
today: there is in the Democratic States
South no such thing as liberty defined q
equality before the law. Al the dutic'
of the law are applied 70 thr negroes, al
the penalties Of is infraction are ap
pliud. and all the sulferings of its IN
cqaal application endured ~ililc non" Z"
its privileges are enjoyed. That Is no
liEcrty is the Fathers Of he hrpuhli'
contemplated il. or us Lincoln under
stood it. The declaration of rights j
that all men are tou iree with ciua
rsht lo lifa. lihcty ana tie pursuit .
happiness. When thc Law arcords III
Iuen those rights equally that is liberty
ne Southern Democrat. do NOT accor
that liberty to either the white or blac
Republicans of the South. On the col
trary they have compelled til" Rcpub.
cans of those States to relinquish thos
rights by prosecutions Of the most tel
rible character. The black people {
= thnt section have been hunted down an
IS killed as wild animal; have been hunte
It and killed without legal notice OF repari
't ton. BY this means those who RENAL
$ have been terrorized and intimidatc
:, either into the abandonment of their y
lf ltica privileges, or to subjecting the
1t to the dictates of the Democrats.
is The Republicans of the South-whi
Ly and black-have not alone suffered
t. this denial Of liberty. 1t has affected Il
10 government of every state Of the Unio
IL and is a constant menace to the life
III the Republic III that it gives some pc
oh tion If the people too much power N
IN privilege and others too little. Tho
X WHO nave most, deny liberty to tho
le who have the least. Ii Is just here III
ol the first sentence we have quoted fro
n Lincoln becomes withcring curse
Il threat, OF prophecy Of the certain judi
We mcnt of Il iuSt God. IIow these Den
'o- Gratis can quote these grand utterans
" from the lips Of Il ludn who is now rect
az nizcd as onc Of the grcatest and b,
l'- men that ever livcd-aS one Of I
ed world. political masters and saints, Il
Is not realize that they are making I'll,
te- condemn themselves on. ~ thci. o.
me mouths, is one of the dicult things
~ understand.
We The Republican party has not f
I'll sakcn, nor has the Democratic pa
'te adopted the teachings of Lincoln i
ay Republican party is, and the Der
he cratic party is not true to the princip
I'm of the Declaration of Independence. I
icr Republican party accepts these prir