Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1904-02-13

HE :lS well rs Il conservative lawmaker
in public life.
An Advocate of the Law.
What was l-incoln's stand when a great
abolitionist meeting WAS held in Spring
field some years before the war? There
the opponents of slavery proposed by
force of arms 10 defy the public author
tiles and drive out the shareholders
from the then territory of Kansas
When called upon for Il speech Lincoln
shocked some OF his very best friends
and. as some thought. then and there
signed his own political death warrant
Let there he peace he emphatically
said 'RcvolutioniZe 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. 1873. in answer 10 one of the
charges made against him by Douglas?
Now. as To tue bred Scott decision.
for upon that Senator Douglas makes
his last point against me. | am OPP
I.oscd Ia that decision in certain
puts il. | say that in so far as Ii de-
cided in favor of bred SCOTS master
and against bred Scott and his fam
lily do not propose 10 disturb or resist
the decision. | never nave proposed to
90 any such thing. | think that in re-
spcct for judicial authority my humble
history would not suffer in comparison
with that of Judge Douglas" When
some enthusiastic admirers asked him
this question: Has the territory OF
Kansas Il right Ia come into the Union
slave state if the people WISH" Lin
coin said: Yes. BY the national law II
has Il 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 n pub
lie oiiiceholder and as private citizen.
you cannot put your finger upon one
act where he WAS an advocate of viola
ton of the law. lie was patient in his
belief that moral right would ultimate
~ become legal right
Followed the Path of Rectitude.
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
ncSSe> Of the law let us bow before and
recognize the majesty Of the law. Be
f...n n m hn aisi
Zcns may he terroriZcd every winter
by "hodup" men who walk around at
night Shootin. down innocent pedcs-
TRANS in cold blood. that is no reason
why. in order 10 cNtirpate them. we
ourselves should become criminals Be
cause Alexander of Servia was a bad
man. that does not place the stamp of
responsibility upon those who. by regi-
eide. proved they were as lawless as
their dctcstcd king. Always obey the
law. Ii il he wrong. then make the
law right. hut never detile the ma jesty
of the law
Though Abraham Lincoln was n man
Of positive characteristics. yet he was
patient in the fact that he was ready
W httD SttIb Will lIt OI IDe
common people. He never for one mo-
ment left the path of rectitudc and
honor. lie WAS not foolish color bear
or. leaving the ranks of his fellow sol
dicrs and plunging far ahead of the
lines. thereby counting death and ami
hilation As the national standard bear
or he WAS ready. if necessary. to mark
time" so that the common people could
catch NJ with him. that all might ad-
vance in line
Man of Patience.
All things may he lawful. but all
things are not cxpc'licnt What did he
do after he had delivered his first in
augural address: Did he do anything
Ia antagoniZe the southern leaders and
people. rs 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 i'll every town. village and
city he was called Il coward If pos
siblc he wanted To win the southern
leaders back 10y love and kindness He
knew that hate and billingsgate and
club never Won Il willing subject. He
WAS patient. very patient. His pa
thence WIS 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" he
said. let me write Union at the top
of that page. and you may write below
it whatever else You please
To placate the southern leaders was
one reason for delay. But there was
still another reason why he was patient.
There We're scores and hundreds and
thousands of men III the north as well
as the south who believed that as the
original southern states came into the
Union of their own accord they had
therefore the right To leave of their
own accord. As Lincoln in his quaint
language put the popular sovereignty
idea. They believed that the big kettle
of the United States government could