The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-02-13
TRIBUTE OF NEGRO
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FIRST TIME A MINNESOTA COLORED
MAN EVER SPOKE ON
LINCOLN
GRAFTON OF FRED I. MGHEE
Speaks Of Lincoln, the Commoner,
and Says Country Must Fol-
low Him to BE Truly
Prosperous.


local colored lawyer and Democratic ora
tor, delivered an address on Lincoln, the
Commoner,' at the Lincoln league ban
quet last night. This was the first time
a. colored man has ever spoken on Lin
coin in the state of Minnesota. Mr.. Nc
Ghee, after acknowledging the honor
done his race in selecting him to speak,
said
There is a. rule in mechanics THAT moth
ing is stronger than it's weakest parts,
and the condensed good sense of ages has
pronounced this rule true. Before migra-
ton had ceased and the organization Of
society took place, men possessed certain
rights Which through ali time have been
called natural rights, buc civilization had
gone on in its march without enabodying
these rights as a. part of fundamental
government until our foFefathers made
them a part Of the Declaration of indie
pendence, and the enunciation !, of them
as self evident"
There came a time in the history of
our country when they were denied, and
ment spent their finest lore to demon
Strate how these declarations were only
catch words and attractive generalities,'
amid the din and clash of the fray
when herolsm and valor need be recognize
ed and fitting eulogy paid to those who
had died that the Declaration of INDIE
pendence remain inviolate. There came
from the plains of Illinois from the ranks
OF the common people, one as if sent by
God to call men back to their better
senses, and awakening their recoIlections
move them to live for holier purposes,
and act in higher spheres, and these
words he spoke at Gettysburg: -Four
score and seven years ago our fathers
Drought forth upon this continent a new
nation, conceived in Liberty and dedicated
TO the proposition that all men are created
equal So deep was this principle en-
Dodied 1n6the very soul Of Lincoln. that
MS plographers tell US he declared stand
In6AnPnHnnno ha1 hot l0
rather be aSSasSinated than give up the
principles. of the Declaration of IndepenI-
ence. No wonder he could lift himself
so far above the great statesmen of his
day. clothe the teaching of the Iowly
NaZarene in new words. and simplifying
the self-eyident truths of the Declaration
of independence, say, This is world of
compensation, and he who would be no
slave. must consent to have nc slave;
those who deny freedom to others de-
serve it not themselves and under a just
God cannot long retain it.
only q man. who was of the people, and
who was willing to accord all men, with
cut regard to race or color. the same
rights he1required OF others for himself
could speak them. Such man was in
deed a cOmmOner.
Born one of the poor of the land,
nUrtured amid such surroundings as made
him Familiarity acquainted with the con-
d;tCnS OF the common people, reared I'M
der such environments as enured him to
labor no wonder he honored and had
full faith in those who lived at labor and
dearly as he loved freedom, deeply as he
loved the enjoyment of those rights,
which under the constitution and laws
were his, believing as he did that he who
would deny liberty to another was I'M
worthy Of 1T himself, yet he would have
left the negro in slavery rather than en-
danger the perpetuity of the Union, and
why? Because his was a patriotism
broad enough to take in the whole hui
man family, that held his country in such
q uo cd nv oo
body of our own citizens, and perhaps
wholly unknown to the peoples Of other
governments, and this not because of the
vaStness of our territory, the abundant
harveStS, its fertile fields was capable
of bringing forth, the unsurpassed adj
Vantages our country afforded to men,
the immensely OF its mineral wealth. the
unequaled facilities of commerce. its
rivers and great inland seas af-
forded, or the enterprise and genius of
our people, nor the great possibilities the
future had in store for Americans, but
because he knew only too we'll that all
these would be inperiled with the Union
lost; to use his own words, That a house
divided against itself cannot sand" and
with this fall the great principle Of the
equality of men might perish from the
earth, and full we'll too he knew that
with the Union saved, though slavery re-
manned either in part or in whole, the
or perhaps compelled to beat retreat,
would still remain undefeated and COM
ing generations might forge 1t on to
triumph and victory.
Lincoln, the COmmoner.
Lincoln the Commonerl How grand.
how noble, such a character! A man
whose every fiber, every cord of his deep
loving heart, went out to his felIowmen
to share with them that which was his
What though they tell him his views and
his policy Were. impracticable. that the
time was not ripe. So divinely inspired
was he to fulfil the full measure of the
needs of the hour and bring men back
to their first mornings. that when men
approacheas him and would dissuade him
from alleYiating the cares of the COM
mon people, he would say to them: Get
thou behind me, thou shalt not tempt
me-"
How untimely we think was his tax
ing off. Nay. not untinely, for it must
have been diVinely ordered so kingly a
man should be like a king, indeed in that
he should never die, and his tragic death
but served to Keep him ever alive
kingly was he, and therefore, he de-
served a crown not like the crown of
kings but 2 crown imperishable, and this
all others before and since his time are
beggared in comparison.
How truly 1t is said: New occasions
teach new ideas. new truths make. old
truth uncouth, but so long as America
will foster the spirit of cast and differen
tate on account of station or color so
long as in our land a spirit permeates
our people winch no law can control, lust
so long will the permanency, peace and
stability of our government be endanger-
ed. Just SO true as it was in the DAYS
of Regulus, that Rome was unsafe while
Carthage stood, so true it is in our day
the destruction of our institutions are,
threatened while part of our peoDle
are denied that equality Of men gl1aran-
teed by our constitution and laws-to all
men alike
Upon whom hath the mantle Of Lincoln
fallen? Who is worthy to wear if? Surely
not they who would make our flag an
emblem Of oppression in the eyes Of anv
man where ere that man NAV he. who
would drive from the hearts of the low
est that hope. and inspiration our flag
hath always given to the oppressed SIRE.
" not they who for the approval of tilted
heads would barter one bit of orr match
less liberties that they and theirs he
counted world power Only they ara
worthy who, like him, will take hold IF
the pillow and will not backward turn
though the plowshare .cut through tha
hearts Of the living and overturn the
graves of the dead None other is
worthy than he who is like lincoln
ready TO accord to others the rights and
privileges they claim for themselves, an