Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1904-02-13

Wnen culleu upon lOi u opcSSh AN~
shocked some OF his very best friends
and. as some thought, then and there
signed his own political death warrant
"Let there be peacep he emphaticallyI
said. "Revolutionize through the bal-
lot box. Your attempt, If there be such,
10 resist the laws Of Kansas by force
Is criminal and wicked, and all your
feeble attempts will be follies and end
by bringing sorrow on your own heads
and ruin on the cause you would free
ly die to preserve" What said he In
his famous speech delivered on July
II. 1858, in answer to one OF the
charges made against him by Dougiasf
"Now. as to the Dred Scott decision,
| for upon that Senator Douglas makes
| his last point against me. l am op-
| posed to that decision in a certain
sense, but not in the sense In which he
puts It. say that in so far as II de-
cided in favor Of Dred Scotts master
and against Dred Scott and his fam
lily | do not propose to disturb or resist
the decision. / never have proposed to
| do any such thing. 1 think that In re-
spect for judicial authority my humble
history would not suffer in comparison
with that Of Judge Douglas" When
some enthusiastic admirers asked MIN
this question: HAS the territory Oh
Kansas a right TO come into the Union
q slave state II the people wishT Lin
coin said: Eyes BY the national law II
has right which you cannot take
away unless by national legislation you
change that law" In all the fifty-six
years of Lincoln's life, both as a pub
lie officeholder and as private citizen,
you cannot put your finger upon one
net where he was an advocate OF viola
tion of the law. He was patient In his
belief that moral right would ultimate
ly become legal right.
Followed the Path of Rectftude.
On the approaching anniversary OF
this great Americans birth let us learn
one OF the greatest lessons of his life,
Even amid the injustices and the weak
nesses Of the law let us bow before and
recognize the majesty of the law. Be
cause in some municipalities the citi-
zens may be terrorized every winter
by "holdup" men who walk around at
night shooting down innocent pedes-
trians in cold blood, that is no reason
why, in order to extirpate them, we
ourselves should become criminals. Be-
cause Alexander of Servia was bad
man, that does not place the stamp OF
respectability upon those who, by regi-
eide, proved they were as lawless as
their detested king. Always obey the
law. II it be wrong, then make the
law right, but never defile the majesty
of the law.
Though Abraham Lincoln was a man
of positive characteristics, yet he was
patient in the fact that he was ready
to keep step with the march Of the
common people. He never for one mo-
ment left the path Of rectitude and
honor. He was not foolish color bear
er, leaving the ranks of his fellow sol.
diers and plunging far ahead OF the
lines, thereby courting death and ami
hilation. AS the national standard bear
er he was ready, If necessary, to mark
time" so that the common people could
catch up with him, that all might ad.
vance in line.
Man of Patience.
All things may be lawful, but all
things are not expedient. What did he
do after he had delivered his first In
augural address? Did he do anything
to antagonize the southern leaders and
people, as some rash statesmen would
have had him do? No; that was not
his way. He had malice toward none
and charity for ALL" He bided his
time, though in every town, village and
city he was called a coward. If pos
sible he wanted to win the southern
leaders back by love and kindness. Ht
knew that hate and billingsgate anc
club never won q willing subject. H'
was patient, very patient. His pa
tience was expressed powerfully in the
words he once spoke to Alexander Ii
Stephens at the memorable conference
held at Hampton Roads with the south
ern commissioners. stephens" h'
said "let me write Union at the toI
of that page, and you may write below
it whatever else you please"
To placate the southern leaders wai
one reason for delay. But there wa'
still another reason why he was patient
There were scores and hundreds ant
thousands of men at the north as wei
as the south who believed that as th'
original southern states came into thu
Union Of their own accord they hat
therefore the right to leave of thei
own accord AS Lincoln in his quain
language put the popular sovereignt.
idea" "They believed that the big KEITH
of the United States government coul'
be squeezed into the little kettle o
state rights" Horace Greeley believed
this; Wendell Phillips believed this
other mighty northern leaders believed
this. Had Abraham Lincoln, on tn
night of March 4, 1851, started the in
vasion of the south he might have hat
two wars on his hands. War woul'
have been in the front Of him, war ii
the rear Of him. When he entered tn
White House he had two purposes
First, to do anything and everything
that was honorable to save the Union
Secondly, If there was to be wa
then let others take the responsibility
Of striking the first blow.
Calm Under Criticism.
But II Lincoln was willing to be pa
tient with his northern enemies ant
with the south how much more wa
he willing to be patient with his
called friends, upon whose arm he ha
a righ, to lean and from whose inhu
| ence he had right to expect succo
, and help! II the armies Of Lee wer
attacking him in the front, the rancor
Gus tongues of some who were hi
clnspst qdvieprS were DrOadCaSt1nj