New-York tribune., 1912-04-29
'SON Of HONEST ABE"
. ATTACKS ROOSEVELT
Robert T. Lincoln Says Father
Did Not Advocate Recall
of Judges.
TAFT GIVES OUT LETTER
Emancipator Not in Favor OF
Direct Democracy Advocated
by the Colonel-Martyr's
Words Quoted.

DrCSlucnt Idtt, on MS way 4Noi III w
continue the fight in Massachusetts last
night made public a letter from Robert
r. Lincoln. son of President Lincoln, IN
which Colonel Theodore Roosevelt Is
criticised and condemned for what MI
Lincoln says is perversion of the truth.
"My personal feelings" the letter read
are unimportant, but | am not only I'M
patient but indignant that President Lin
coins words and plain views should be
perverted and misappled before trusting
people into support of doctrines which
believe he would abhor if living"
Mr.. Lincoln's letter was written. he
says, in answer TO a request for an opin-
ion Of repeated assertions by Mr.
| Roosevelt that his attitude on certain
radical doctrines is supported by the re-
corded views of the martyred President
| The letter says:
The government under which my father
! lived was, as il is now. republic. or rep
! reSentatve democracy, checked by the
! Constitution, which can he changed BY the
people. but only when acting by methods
/ which compel deiberation and exclude 50
| far as is possible the effect of passionate
! and short-sghted impulse. government
| In which the checks of an established Con
| Stitution are actually. Or practically
Omitted-one in which the people act In q
| mass directly on all questions and not
| through their chosen representa- tives-is al
unchecked democracy, form OF govern
nent so fun of danger as shown by his
| tory. that II has ceased to exist except III
! communities small and concentrated as &c
space A New England town meeting may
be good. but such a government in large
would chaos
As | understand il, the essence Of Mr.
Roosevelts proposals Is that we shall
adopt the latter form Of government IN
place Of the existing form This, In
simple words is proposed revolution
peaceful, perhaps, but revolution. in
support of these revolutionary doctrines
which IL successful would abolish the
form and the spirit of our existing gov
: ernment, and surely. | think, lead 10 at
tempted dlctatorships, resort is had 10
what Is claimed 10 be the words and teach
ings Of President Lincoln
| President Lincoln wrote many letters.
made many public addresses and was the
author Of many documents. do not know
Of the existence in any Of them Of a word
OF censure or of complaint of our govern
ment or Of the methods by which il was
carried on. He was sincerely and faith
fully obedicnt to our Constitution. In the
single act for which he is most remem-
bered-the issuance of the emancipation
proclamation-he expressly supported it as
an act warranted by the Constitution upon
military necessity.
On one public occasion he described the
effect OF the counting of slaves in Con-
gresSional and electoral representation. In
comment. he said; Now all this is mani
fesuy unfair. yet | do not mention Il 10
complain Of IL in so far as il is already
settled. 1t Is in the Constitution. and do
not for that cause. or any other cause
propose to destroy or alter or disregard the
firmly"
He hated slavery. but his reverence for
constitution Ia hat n
said publicly again and again that IL a
support fugitive slave law
His attitude toward the Drcd Scott de-
cision is urged as in support OF the per
nicious project for the recall by popular
vote of judges and of judicial decisions.
tie thought ii an erroneous decision, but
his chief point In reference to'it was not
its error. but that il indicated scheme,
and was part of it. for the nationaliza
tion Of human slavery. He never suggested d
change in our government under which
the judges who made IL should be recalled.
but said that he would resist il politically
hibitnG slavery in United States territory
land then endeavor to have the act sustained
in new proceeding by the same court re-
Versing itself.
Is there to be found here or anywhere
else support for project to abolish the
essential elements or any elements Of our
Constitution? And yet he is cited in sup
port Of such action.
! He loved the government under which he
Ii, ed, and when at Gettysburg he prayed
Gf ! may use the word) that government
OF the people by the people and for the
people may not perish from the earth he
meant. and could only mean, that govern
ment under which he lived, a representative
government of balanced executive. legis-
latiye and judicial parts, and not some
thing entirely dfferent-an unchecked de-
mOcracY
These often quoted words Of President
Lincoln are now deliberately altered. anl
Ipt'nUnpDt founded q
/ | may be permitted TO say that I do rot
! think the public Wishes fha Gettysburg
speech to be rewritten and its words
changed ny any one. however distinguished
for any purpose. least OF all i'm order 10
! support n proposition that President Lin
coin could not possibly have had IN mind