The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-02-16
the government; that, whenever any


government becomes destructive Of
these ends it Is the light Of the peo-
pie to alter or to abolish 1t, and TO
institute new government, laying
foundations on such principles, and
organizing its powers in such forms
as to them shall seem most, likely to
effect their safety and happiness"
Fifty-six delegates were in attend
anoe at that time and of the thirteen
colonies all but Massachusetts were
slave colonies. Jefferson inherited his
fathers slaves and said that when he
wrote the Declaration of Indepen-
dence that all men were born FREQ
and equal he meant 1t and set his
slaves free and died poor man. He
petitioned the state of Virginia to al
low him to rattle off his land to get
money to pay his debts before he died.
Contrast his patriotism to a just
cause to some of the trusts that now
exist.
Let us now show the connection be-
tween Jefferson and Lincoln. Lincoln
in speech at Peoria, Ills, in 1854
said: I hate slavery because Of the
monstrous injustice of slavery itself;
II hate it because it deprives our re-
public of an example of its just influ-
ence in the world. enables the enc
mics Of free institutions with plausi-
bility to taunt as hypocrites; causes
the real friends of freedom to doubt
our sincerity; and especially, because
1T forces SO many real good among
ourselves into an open war with the
very fundamental principles of civil
liberty, criticising the Declaration Of
Independence and insisting that there
is no right principle of action but
self interest. The doctrine of self
government is right but it has no
Just application as here attempted.
| Or, perhaps should rather say, that
whether 1t has such just application
depends upon whether negro is not,
or is man" 1t is easy to see why
Lincoln, the great hearted, loving Lin
! coin, SO virtuous and patriotic was
true 10 the teachings of Jefferson and
his co-patriots. Our beloved Wash
| ington. in his farewell address feared
the destruction of the union or party
while Jefferson's great fear was the
slavery question.
| So the great slavery agitation went
on until Lincoln was elected and the
RI IL ~ Af 49, =
until like great stroke Of lightning
I! the cannons' roar was heard at Fort
! Sumpter and call to arms was
heard both north and south. You are
all familiar with the death struggle,
how many thousands were slain on
each side, fulfilling the fears of the
immortal Jefferson. After the four
| years of blood General Lee surren-
dered to Grant at Appomatox under
the famous apple tree and sent his
soldiers home, many OF them walking
all the way and passing through our
camp at Raleigh while we were
holding an armistice between General
| Sherman and Johnson who soon also
surrendered. and we came marching
| homeward, glad that the fratracidal
strife was over.
washington City on the 14th of
April, 1865, was in great glee over
the close of the war and congratula-
/ lions pouring into Lincoln on the
near close of the war, and from his
| friend Ellis of Illinois which was an
swered by President Lincoln as fol
lows: Eyes, this cruel war is over.
1 1t has cost thousands Of the flower
of the youth OF the land and millions
of money, yet see in the near future
a crisis approaching which unneryes
ME and causes me to tremble for the
safety Of our country As result
| Of the war corporations have been