Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1900-09-11

It's creed or conduct Freedom IL rock
upon which the Republican party was
builled and now rests. Liberty Is the great
Republican doctrine for which the people
went TO war, and for which 10000 lives
were offered and billions OF dollars ex-
pended to make It lawful legacy Of all
without the consent of master or slave
There Is strain of lll-conccaled hypocrisy
In the anxiety to extend the constitutional
guarantees to the people OF the Philippines,
while their nullhcation Is openly advocated
at home. our opponents may distrust
themselves. but they have no right to dis.
credit the good faith and patriotism of the
majority Of the people. who are opposed to
them: they may fear the worst form OF
Imperialism with the helpless Filpinos in
their hands; but II they do. 1t is because
they have parted with the spirit and faith
of the fathers and have lost the virllity
of the founders of the party which they
profess to represent.
Republican Party's Devotion TO the
Declaration of Independence.
The Republican party does not have to
assert its devotion to the Declaration of
Independence That immortal instrument
OF the fathers remained uneXecuted until
the people under the lead of the Repub-
lican party in the awful clash of battle,
turned its promises into fulflment. 1t
wrote into the constitution the amendment
guaranteeing political equality to American
citizenship and 1t has never broken them
or counseled others in breaking them. 1t
will not he guided in It's conduct by one
set of principles at home and another set
in the new territory belonging to the
United States.
Practice the Doctrines of Lincoln.
If our opponents would only practice as
well ns preach the doctrines of Abraham
Lincoln. there would be no fear for the
safety of our institutions at home or their
rlghtfu influence in any territory over
which our flag floats.
Empire has been expelled from Porto Rico
and the philippines by American freemen.
The flag of the republic now floats over
these islands as an emblem Of rightful SOW
ereignty. VIII the republic stay and dis
pense to their inhabitants the blessings of
liberty, education and free institutions. or
steal away, leaving them TO anarchy or i'm
periallsmy
Duty Versus Desertion.
The American question Is between duty
and desertion--the American verdict will be
for duty and against desertion, for the re-
public against both anarchy and imperial
ism.
As to China.
The country has been fully advised of the
purposes of the United States in China
and they will be faithfully adhered to as
already defined.
The nation is filled with gratitude that
the little band, among them many of our
own blood, who for two months have been
subjected to privations and peril by the
attacks of pitiless hordes at the Chinese
capital, exhibiting supreme courage in the
face of despair, have been enabled by
Gods favor to greet their rescuers and find
shelter under their own hag.
The people not alone of this land, but of
all lands, have watched and prayed through
the terrible stress and protracted agony of
the helpless sufferers in Pekng, ana while
at time the dark tidings seemed to make
all hope vain. the rescuers never faltered
in the heroic fulilment of their noble task
We are grateful to our own soldiers and
sailors and marines and to all the brave
men who, though assembled under many
standards, representing peoples and races
strangers in country and speech were yet
united in the sacred mission of carrying
succOr to the beseged, with II success that
Is now the cause of a worlds rejoicing
A Reunited People.
Not only have we reason for tbanksgiv-
Ing for our material blessings, but we
should rejoice in the complete unifcation
of the people of all sections of our country
that has so happily developed in the last
few years and made for US Il more perfect
union.
The obllteraton of old differences. the
common devotion TO the flag and the com
mon sacrifices for its honor, so conspcu-
ousiy shown by the men of the north and
south In the Spanish war, have so strength
ened the ties of friendship and mutual re-
spect that nothing can ever again divide
us. The nation faces the new century
gratefully and hopefully, with increasing
love of country, with firm faith in its free
institutions, and with high resolve that
they shall not perish from the earth"
Very respectfully yours.
WILLIAM MCKINLEY