The Washington herald., 1912-03-07

behind the legislature. the executive. and
the judiciary. another power. that OF
public opinion. The President. Congress
and the courts are ALL the two former
Directly the latter practically. amen
able to the people. le.-'American Common
wealth. chap. xxxiii, pars. 2o-22.
There Is abundance more, but these
are sufficient here. 1t Is. therefore. GER
tain that # is the undeniable preroga-
tive OF the people. at all times. to pro-
claim and maintain the Constitution
which they have ordained and estab-
lished. And now. because of the COM
plete failure Of their own sworn agencies,
legislative. judicial, and executive. State
and national, to maintain the Constitution,
In its plain language and certain intent
touching the highest privilege and I'M
munity OF citizens et the United States,
It Is now the bounden duty. no less
than the supreme prerogative. of the peo-
PIE of the United States, ourselves per-
sonally. and each in his place, perpet-
ually TO proclaim and to maintain. this
Constitution in all its guarantees and its
intents, OF liberty. religious. as well as
civil. And this. still in order that gov
ernment Of the people, by the people, and
for the people, shall not perish from the
earth
The situation demands It. The neces-
sity is upon us. No man can evade II
and still be free Meet 1t We must. Then
let US meet It as men, as manly men.
Yes. as American, Constitutional, Chris
tan men!
L The Way Plain.
And the way to do this is all plain be-
fore us. 1t is plain by virtue of unques-
tionable principle; II is plain by the au-
thority Of unQuestionable and actual
practice.
Originally In the States there were
the twin despotisms of slavery and en-
forced religion. The national Constitu-
ton and government were established
without either; and 1t was intended to
lead all away from both. Both despot-
isms resisted this intent OF the national
power, and aimed both to become ma
tional.
THE crisis came first a. to the nation
alization Of the despotism OF bodily slay-
cry. A decision OF the national Supreme
Court was rendered setting forth princi-
pies which, carried to their logical as
well as apparently intended conclusion,
accomplished the naturalization OF the
civil 'despotism OF slavery.
Under God and the splendid leader
ship of Abraham Lincoln, that crisis as
to civil slavery issued in the total aboli-
tion OF slavery even in the States where
II had held sway.
I'm this issue OF that crisis as to that
civil despotism, the twin despotism Of the
soul slavery OF established religion was
also abolished by the fourteenth amend
ment. In spite OF this, however, the des-
potism OF enforced religion has persist
ed in lis determination to become ma
uonal. A decision of the national Su-
preme Court has been rendered, declaring
that This is a Christian nation, and
that the establishment OF the Christian
religion is within the meaning OF the
Constitution.
''As certainly as that declaration shall
be followed up, Il logically and inevita-
bly, will lead to the naturalization OF
religious despotism. And the church fed
erations and other religious combines are
all diligently following II up. and press
ing II to exactly that conclusion.
Thus there has now come the crisis
as to the naturalization Of religious
despottsm. Upon the vantage ground of
the Constitution as a whole, and of the
fourteenth amendment in particular, we
have the high honor to meet the crisis
OF this despotism OF soul slavery, as
Abraham Lincoln and they with him met
that crisis Of body slavery, and with the
hope that this crisis shall issue as did
that-in the total abolition OF all religious
despotism, even in the States where at
first Il held sway
And the course Of Abraham Lincoln
and those who stood with him in that
crisis. which carried them to that glori-
Gus issue, has not merely 'blazed the
way but has established a solid and a
broad highway over which We with all
confidence can proceed unto an issue as
much more glorious as religious liberty
surpasses civil liberty
First, IL is ours to say in the very
words OF Abraham Lincoln himself, We
have to fight this battle upon principle,
and upon principle alone. So / hope
those with whom I am surrounded have
enough to nerve themselves for
the task, and leave nothing undone that
can fairly be done to bring about the
right result
When We shall be charged. as was he.
with resistance TO the decisions of the
Supreme Court We can answer in his
own words, as truly and as fifty spoken:
I do not resist II. All that am doing
Is refusing to obey II as a political la
rule. But We will try to re-
verse that decision. Somebody has to
reverse that decision. since it was made:
and We mean TO reverse 1t, and We mean
to do it peaceably.'
when the promoters OF despotism
shall charge US, as they did him.
with melting anarchy, violence. and mob
law we can give his own answer: by
II as a political Ia religiousl
rule, disturb no right Of property, Gre
ate no disorder. excite no mobs. It is not
resistance; It is not factious; It il not
even disrespectful TO treat II as not hav-
ing yet quite established a settled doc
trine for the country
when we shall be denounced, as was
he only because Of the monstrous revo-
doctrines with which we are
identified and that We are determined
10 carry OUT we can reply in exact |
truth. as did he, I am fighting upon |
.hese original principles-hghting in the |
washingtonian, and Madi- |
Ionian land Lincolnianl fashion
when we shall be fiouted. as was he, |
because of some of the company in |
which we may find ourselves. we can |
make true and confident reply. as did he: |
Stand with anybody that stands right |
stand with him while he Is right. and |
'art with him when he goes wrong. To |
iesert such ground because OF any COM
oany is to be less a man, less than an /
less than a Christian.
And. finally. in Lincoln's noble words,
We may exactly say: Neither let US be
from our duty by false accu-
ations against us, nor frightened from
t by menaces OF dungeons to ourselves.
Iet us have faith that right makes
night; and in that faith let US 10 the
nd dare to do our duty as we under
tand IT.
The Principle of II.
Starting thus. individually, from free
hoice and mastering conviction; upon
ri0inal orotind and original ,,rinc;pto,.