Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1904-02-11

10 resist tie laws or 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 cnuse you would free |
~ die TO preserve" What said he ID
his famous speech delivered OH july
II. 1868, in answer to one Of the
charges made against him by Douglas!
Nov, as to the bred Scott decision
for upon that Senator Douglas makes
his last point against me. l am Op
posed to that decision in certain
sense, but not in the sense in which he
puts it. | say that in so far as it de
cided in favor of bred SCOTS maste,
and against bred Scott and his fam
lily do not propose. to disturb or resist
the decision. | never have proposed &c
Go any such thing. l think that in r.
spect for judicial authority my humble
history would not suffc III comparison
with that Of Judge Douglas" When
some enthusiastic admirers asked hin
this question: HAS the territory ci
Kansas right to come into the Union
"A slave state if the people wishf" Lin
has right which you cannot take
away unless by national legislation yor
change that law In all the iifty-siS
years Of Lincoln's life, both as Il pub
lie ohiceholder and as private citizen
yo, cannot put your finger upon on:
act where he was an advocate Of viola
ton of the law. He was patient in his
belief that moral right would ultima tie.
~ become legal right.
Followed the Path of Rcctitudc.
On the approa ching anniversary OF
this great Americans birth let us learn
one Of the greatest lessons OF his life
Even amid the injusticcs and the weak
ncsscs Of the law let us bow before and
recognize the majesty of the law. Be
cause in some municipalities the citi.
zcns may be tcrrorized every winter
BY "holdup" men who walk around AT
night shooting down innocent pedes.
TRANS in cold blood. that is no reason
why. in order to eXtirpnte 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 dctestcd 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 man
OF positive characteristics. yet he was
patient in the fact that he was ready
to keep step with the march of ths
common people. He never for one mo
mcnt left the path Of rectiiude and
honor. He was not foolish color benr
er. leaving the ranks of his fellow sol
diers and plungins far ahead Of the
lines. thereby counting death and ami
hlation. As the ia tiOnal standard bear
or 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 III
| augural address: Did he do anything
TO antagonizc the southern leaders and
people. rs some rash statesmen would
have had him doi No; that was not
his way He had malice toward none
and charity for ALL He hided his
time. though in every town, village and
/ city he was called coward II pos
| sihle he wanted TO win the southern
/ leaders back by love and kindness. lie
knew that hate and billnCsgate and
club never won n willing subject. lie
was patient, very patient. His pa
! tience was expressed powerfully in the
words he once spoke to Alexander II
Stephens at the memorable conference
J hello al Hampton Roads with the south
I ern commissioners. "Stephcns." he
said. 'let me write Union at the toE
of that page, and you may write below
! it whatever else you pleasc.'
! To placatc 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 at the north as well
as the south who believed that as the
original southern states came into the
Union Of their own accord they bad
therefore the right to leave of theii
own accord As Lincoln in his quaint
I language put the popular sovereignty
idea" "Thcy believed that the big kettle
of the United States government could
be squeezed into the little kettle of
state rights" Horace Greeley believed
ihis; Wendell Phillips believed this
other mighty northern leaders believed
this. Had Abraham Lincoln. on the
night of March {. 1851, started the in
vaSion of the south he might have had
two wars on his hands. War would
have been IN the front of him. war in
the rear of him. When he entered tie
White House he had two purposes
First, 10 DO anything ana everything
that was honorable To save the Union
Secondly, if there was 10 be Il wal
then let others take the responsibility
Of striking he first blow.
Calm Under Criticism.
But If Lincoln was willing to be pa
ticnt with his northern enemies and
with the south how much more was
he willing 20 be patient with his SC
called friends. upon whose arm he had
right to lean ana from whose inllp.
once he had a right to expect Succor
and help. If the armies of Lee were
attacking him in the front, the rancnr
Gus tongues of some who were liz
closest advisers were broadcasting