The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1902-08-01
THE NEW ENGLAND DEMOCRATS

has fled and will not suffer the clOd TO
cover its corruption. This is honor
able to human nature. but it is not
good for the public health. There are
thousands of men throughout this
country who cling to the Republican
marty with Just such blind and un-
reasoning devotion after the spirit that
once animated 1t has passed. All that
we ask of them, and we ask it tenderly
and reverently and with respect for
their sorrow, is that they suffer us to
bury their dead. Let me say. to those
who grieve at the thought of discover
ing themselves from its holy memories
of the past that we ask no man to
desert the party of Abraham Lincoln.
We ask, ON the contrary, that you find
the party that most nearly represents
| the high principles for which he con-
tended and give that party your sup
port in the pending contest and in all
the struggles that are to come. We
only insist that you shall identify that
party. not by the name it bears, but
by the principles for which it STANDS.
II YOU will do that the Democratic
party will triumph in every State,
county and township throughout all
New England.
HAVE FORGOTTEN LINCOLN.
Indeed, my friends, as hard saying
as it may seem. you cannot find in the
conduct and principles of the Republl-
can party today a single thought, a
single motive a single purpose, or a
single ideal which it owes to lts
! greatest and most illustrious name.
During the recent session OF Congress
I challenged Republican Senator to
Indicate single speech made from a
Republican standpoint that contained
a single quotation from the speeches or
writing of Abraham Lincoln. repeat
that challenge today to all the Repub-
licans of New England find me a
single Republican speech. single
speech in behalf of the pres
ent policy of the Republican
party, in which the speaker seeks to
fortify his position with line from
Lincoln. I challenge them to go
through the Republican speeches OF the
last two or three Congresses and go
through the files of Republican news
papers for the same period and see
how utterly the name Of Lincoln has
persisted from the literature of the
Republican party.
On the other hand we have heard
the very argument, the very language
of is great antagonist, Douglas. used
again and again to sustain the present
Republican policy and we have heard
them answered by Democrats in the
very language of Abraham Lincoln:
More than that, | heard distinguished
Republican leader on the floor OF the
House repeat with substantial ac,
curacy, with absolute identity OF
thought and argument, passage from
the farewell speech of Jefferson DAVIS
and heard it received with thunders
of applause on the Republican side.
Two or three years ago at great
imperialist mass meeting held III
Chicago, one of the speakers cited
that sentiment from the Declaration OF
Independence that governments de-
rive their Just powers from the con-
sent of the governed. and declared that
it was the greatest lie ever invented
by the devil to deceive credulous
J world Ladies and gentlemen, among
the founders of the Republican party
there were some who denounced the
Constitution as "a league with death
and covenant with hell because IT
recognized the institution of human
slavery. The Republicanism OF today
denounces the immortal Declaration as
the work of the devil because it sounds
a cry for human freedom. Such is the
difference between the Republican
party of Abraham Lincoln and the
Republican party of Marcus Alonzo
Hanna "How art thou fallen from
heaven, oh, Luclfer, son OF the morn
ing"
DUTY OF PATRIOTIC CITIZEN.
1t is the duty of the patriotic citizen
to determine first what policy or
course of political conduct will be best
for his country, and let his decision
upon that question determine his party
associations. If there ever was time
when patriotism should lift men above
the claims of party, that time is now.
Recent events and the course OF the
Republican party have forced upon us
issues of graver import than any that
have been presented since this Gov
eminent was established upon the Con-
stitution. The next few years must
determine for us whether the greed
for gain and the lust for power have
become a stronger force in the Repub-
lie than the love Of liberty. Whether
this nation shall continue to be guide
and exemplar to the world, or whether
night and darkness shall swallow up
the fairest hope that human wisdom
has given to mankind; whether this
shall remain a government of and for
ana by the people, or whether it shall
20 the way of the ancient republics
and be succeeded by despotism OF
force and corruption, operating for
time within the hollow form OF re.
public, until at last even the form shall
perish with the reality of freedom.
POISON TO LIBERTY.
When tell you.that such are the is
sues Of this campaign, when l tell You
that the Republican party, whatever 1t
may have been in the past, represents
today everything that is poison to
liberty and fatal to free government,
/ speak not the words of mere party
advocate. l speak the language OF
those who gave life and being to the
| Republican party. 1t is a fact OF the
deepest significance that all the illustri-
GUS survivors Of those who formed and
! oraotad the Republican marty. includ-