The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1901-11-14

Brown, of Illinois, a candidate for
the state legislature in 1858. Mr..
Brown was confronted with the
charge that Mr.. Lincoln, whom
Mr.. Brown was supporting for the
United States senate, was in favor
of "negro equality" In order
that Mr.. Brown might answer his
critics, Mr.. Lincoln made col
lection of his own utterances on
the subject, and on the first page
wrote: "The following extracts
are taken from various speeches of
mine delivered at various times
and places and / believe that they
contain the substance of all / have
said about negro equality The
sixth extract quoted in this re-
markable little volume contains
the following:
Now, gentlemen, / don't want to
read at any greater length, but
this is the true complexion of all
1 have ever said in regard to the
institution of slavery and the
black race. This is the whole of
it, and anything that argues me
into this idea of perfect social and
political equality with the negro,
is but specious and fantastic ar
rangement of words, by which a
man can prove horse chestnut to
be chestnut horse. daughter. }
l will say here, while upon this
subject, that I have no purpose
directly or indirectly to interfere
with the institution of slavery in
the states where it exists. be-
lieve have no lawful right to do
SO, and have no inclination to do
so. 1 have no purpose to intro
duce political and social equality
between the white and the black
races. There is a physical differ
ence between the two, which in
my judgement will probably for
ever forbid their living together
upon the footing of perfect equal
ity, and inasmuch as it becomes a
necessity that there must be a
difference, 1, as we'll as Judge
Douglass, am in favor of the race
to which l belong, having the su-
perior position. 1 have never said
anything to the contrary, but l
hold that notwithstanding all this
there is no reason in the world
why the negro is not entitled to
all the natural rights enumerated
in the Declaration of Independence,
the right of life, liberty and the
pursuit of happiness. cloud
Cheers.)
The above quotation selected by
Mr.. Lincoln himself from one of
his own speeches for the purpose
of answering the criticism of his
political opponents, sets forth the
great emancipator's views on three
of the four phases of the negro
question. He believed that the
negro was equal to the white man
in the natural rights enumerated
in the Declaration of Independence
and he believed that it was the
duty OF the government to protect
him in the enjoyment of these
rights. He opposed slavery, be-
lieving it to be wrong in principle,
although he expressly declared
that he had no intention of inter
fering with slavery in the states
in which it then existed.
Second, he recognized the dis
tinction between political rights
and natural rights, and exhibited
that partially toward his own race
which is inherent to every one.
Third, he recognized the fact
that social equality is not necessary
to the protection of the negro in
the enjoyment of all his natural
rights. Mr.. Roosevelt will not
find, therefore, in the life or words
of Lincoln anything to justify him
in advocating social equality, if
his act can be construed as repre-
senting his views on this subject.
The natural rights of all are the
same, and it is the province of
government to protect these natur-
al and inalienable rights-rights
which were vested in man by the
Creator, rights which cannot be
taken from him without rendering
his life valueless to him and to his
fellows. But man chooses his
society for himself. 1t is as much
a matter of-taste as the selection