Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1910-09-30

obloquy was that he was far in advance
of his time, as all real reformers are.
Mr.. Lincoln, while personally anti
slavery through and through, put himself
explicitly upon record as desiring TO save
the union with slavery If possible, and
the emancipation proclamation was issued
only as o military necessity. But long
before, in August, 1861, General Fremont
in of the department OF the
west, declaring martial Law IN Missouri,
proclaimed that the slaves OF all per-
sons who shall take up arms against the
United States are hereby declared free
men" This was the first emancipation
proclamation and the government refus-
ing to confirm IL, censured General FIRE.
mont!
The character of n few men who con-
trolled the convention of 1856, send its
fame ringing down the years.
Mr.. Greeley wrote to the Tribune short
iy after the convention opened that the
influence upon the country would be felt
for a quarter Of a century" More than
30 years have passed. and under the in
tluence of the principles adopted at that
convention the United States has become
@ world power and seems but just on
the verge OF It's greatness,
In Coos providence for the welfare of
the world the springs OF 1t all seem to
have had their start in the convention Of
1866.
Some Men Who Were There.
Benjamin +. Wade was there. In con-
gress a few nre-eaters OF the south large
ly overawed the northern representatives,.
and IL any one dared to express his senti-
ments touching the southern chivalry or
its pet institutions, a challenge came
promptly. Wade In the Senat determined
to break this up-and being somswhat
gifted with vituperation, ne soon had a
challenge IN his hands from Senator
Toombs, Of Georgia. II accept was
Wade's reply. Rifles, one hundred yards:
we are determined 30 have peace, even if
we must kill a few OF you gentlemen in.
order to bring it about" Mr.. Toombs
consulted and learned that Wade was a
dead shot with n rifle, and concluded that
discretion was the better part OF valor."
There were no more challenges.
owen Lovejoy, a name to conjure with.
was there. Wendell Phillips had not yet
come out into the light, but when owens
brother was murdered at Alton. H., for
publishing a republican paper, then came
Phillips new birth. His surroundings
and predictions had been aristocratlc,
and pro-slavery. BIT strolling into Fanueil
hall at a meeting held 70 express public.
sentiment as to the killing of Lovejoy, he
heard Governor Austin liKen the murder
ers to Otis and Hancock. whose portraits
adorned the walls. Phillips got the plat
form, his whole nature changing in the
twinkling of an eye, ana he began that
tremendous torrent OF anti-slayery agita-
ton. which. like the widows cruise of oil,
stayed not. until we became a free peo-
pie in fact as we'll as in name. His first
sentence was Sir, when / heard the gen.
tleman comparing the murderers OF Love-
Joy with Otis and Hancock and Adams,
~methought those pictured lips hould have
broken into language rebuking the recre-
ant A~merican-the slanderer Of the dead.
For such words uttered upon soil conse-
Grated by the lives of the Puritans and
the blood OF the patriots, the earth should
have yawned and swallowed him up"
James G. Blaine, the "Plumed Knight,
was there-a young man-but destined to
occupy a conspicuous place in American
politics for a third Of a century-the au-
thor OF the 14th amendment to the consti-
tuition and who came the nearest to the
White House Of any defeated candidate at
any ~time-losing the electoral vote of New
York by 1,07, out Of a total vote of
1,O0,o0-and this was caused by the over
weening zeal of one of his own support
ers. DIR. Burchard, who in an ALTERATION
stigmatiZed the opponents of Blaine as
Rum, Romanism and Rebellion there
by lining up all the elements represented
~ ~ INV II III NlAC AllSSl
hostility-the three RS were solidifed and
Blaine was stranded.
LincoIn's Name Heard.
Lincoln's name first doomed large at that
convention. Thaddeus Stevens was there
the man who saw more clearly than any
one In public life the logical issue of the
Wharf.-The general theory being that it was
prosecuted TO maintain the constitution,
but Stevens insisted that the war
suspended the constitution n that
the success of the resistance would
were temporary or not. The reconstruc-
ton measures show how far Stevens view
finally prevailed.
Joshua G~lddings was there, and when he
came down from the platform at the close
he put his arms around Greeley and
thanked God for the dawning OF a bright
er and better day.
Zach" Chandler and lockwood Hoar
and David Wilmot, famous for the Will
mot proviso. were there-men all who had
no private ak to grind, but were willing to
sacrifice every personal interest, hope and
safety for the establishment and recogni-
ton Of a great principle.
No marvel that the platform and reso-
buttons framed by such men should prove
the cornerstone of a great nation, nor
that the Philadelphia convention of 1859
should be deemed one or the historic land
marks OF the world.
When Giddings, Stevens and others We're
consulting as TO the construction of the
platform and resolutions they called In
Abraham Lincoln TO advise with them.
Mr.. Lincoln said: Take the declaration
OF independence and hostility to the ex-
tension OF slavery. Let us bind our new
party upon the rock OF the declaration OF
independence, and the gates OF hell shall
not prevail against it,"