Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1909-06-09

I
80, say. does that star-spansled banner vet
wave
Der the land of the free and tho home OF the
brave?"
Abraham Lincoln said: "No, it does
not, but with the help OF God it will" On
his way to the White House, to which he
had been elected by the people, he de-
clared himself emphatically, in favor OF
the sublime doctrine that the consent of
the governed was that on which the ma
tion was founded, and then made the pro-
phetic declaration that il necessary, he
was willing to be assassinated for this
principle.
Abraham Lincoln, as much as any states
man since Washington, was governed by
intelligent knowledge of his duty. He
felt it his duty to declare slaves free, so
on Jan. ], 1868, he issued his famous
| emancipation proclamation. This is freely
and fully criticized. Some thought he
declared it altogether too soon; others
thought he deferred it too long; but Abra-
ham Lincoln waited only long enough to
be absolutely sure of his duty and then
he did it unfalteringly. He acted upon
the motto Of David Crockett, the famous
woodsman of Kentucky: "Be sure you
are right, then go ahead"
This is good rule, not only for states
man to follow, but for any citizen in the
humble walks of life. Intelligent know
ledge CT duty is what caused our govern
ment to interfere, more than ten years
| ,.-tt r..
1t was war for righteousness and war
| for humanity. Spain was compelled to
relinquish her island possessions, and this
government promised to stay with Cuba
and help her form an independent gov
eminent. Ever since the close OF the
Spanish war and the following treaty with
Spain our government has been fulfilling
this pledge. Sanitary conditions have
been established and yellow fever has
been practically stamped out. The United
| States soldiers have all been Withdrawn
and Cuba is now an independent republic.
The problem Of the Philippine islands
will be settled by the gospel rather than
by troops OF United States soldiers. Our
army in the Philippines had hard time
of it in the three years Immediately fol-
lowing Admiral Dewey's wonderful vic
| tory at Manila bay. Granted that many
Of the Filipinos were cruel and treach-
erous, that was no excuse for our army
| officers to be the same. That officer who
gave the order to make Samar a bowling
wilderness, to plumber, burn, destroy and
kill everything over ten, was just as much
OF a barbarian as any Filipino possibly
could be. But since the capture OF
| Aguinaldo and the subjugation OF the
mountainous tribes, and especially since
our noble missionaries have gotten in
their self-sacrificing work, the gospel of
Jesus is slowly but surely becoming the
leaven which will yet make OF the Filipi-
nos Christian nation whose God is the
Lord.
| 2. But next after intelligent knowledge
| OF duty comes answering devotion, as one
| OF the elements Of true patriotism. One
OF the best instances OF this is the con-
duct of Washington after the close of the
Revolutionary war. England had been
conquered and had signed a treaty OF
peace. There was no more fighting for the
! soldiers to do and yet there was no money
with which to pay them for the services
they had so nobly rendered. The CONT
mental currency was not worth the paper
on which it was printed, for the credit OF
the new nation had not yet been estab-
lished.
Here is where the answering devotion
I of Washington showed at its very best.
He remained al the head Of the army, gave
encouragement to the respondent, checked
! the unruly with a firm hand, and after O
while succeeded in persuading the soldiers
that the only honorable course was for
them to place faith in the nations credit
and believe that the government would as
soon as able pay every cent of its obliga-
| tions.
! Still another instance OF Washington g
answering devotion is when, after he
had served his country for eight years as
its first President, he had retired to pri-
vate life. War was threatened with
France and a courier fastened from Phila-
delphia then the nations capitaD to
| Washington's farm at Mt. Vernon, urging
him to come and take command of the
army and rescue the country from its
newly threatened peril. The messenger
found Washington in the field on horse
back looking over his farm. After finding
| out the nature Of the message Washington
courteously replied: II am ready to serve
my country in any way l cam" and al
though an old man, with infirmities creep
| ing upon him. Washington hastened to
Philadelphia and took command OF the
army. Happily, however, war with
| France was averted.
| Another instance OF answering devo-
tion is revealed by the famous remark OF
Gen. Grant that he would "hght it out
along that line il it took all summer"
Dogged persistency rather than flashing
brillancy characterized the work of Gen.
Grant as soldier and led him on to final
victory. And it was the same answering
davot;on that lad oil the Union officers