The Snowflake herald., 1922-02-10


write his reverent expressions of trust in the AL
mighty without a personal sense of relationship.
The two men of the Nineteenth century who
have drawn and held the most intense admiration
of the civilized world Napoleon Bonaparte and
Abraham Lincoln. Both were great leaders, great
executives. Both had the power of binding their
followers to them with personal loyalty stronger
than the ties of blood. Both appeal to the imag-
inatiOn of millions who never them.
But, as the Evening Sun pointed out on the
anniversary Of Waterloo, it is the downfall of Ma
poleon that the world remembers, the deferred
but inevitable defeat of ambition Lincoln died
victorious, not alone in the circumstance of tri-
umphant arms and nation reunited but in the
victory of unselfish devotion to the of human
freedom. He identified his life with the progress
Of mankind and in losing himself he found i'm
r-ortaty-(Editoria in New York Sun, 1919)
The assertion '"That all men are created equal"
was of no practical use in effecting our separation
from Great Britain; and it placed in the Dec
laration not for that but for future use. It's au-
thors meant it to be-as, thank God, it is
proving itself-a stumblingbock to all those who
in aftertimes might seek to turn free people
back into the hateful paths of despotism. They
knew the proneness of prosperity to breed tyrants
and they meant, when such should reappear in
this fair land and commence their vocation, they
should find left for them at least one hard nut to
crack. (Speech at Springfield ILL.,, June g. 1S57.)
Think nothing of me; take thought for the
political fate of any man whOmsoever, but come
back to the truths that are in the Declaration of
independence. While pretending no Indifference
to earthly honors do claim to be actuated in this
contest by something higher than anxiety for
office. l charge you to drop every paltry and in
significant thought for any mans success 1t is
nothing Judge Douglas is nothing But do not
destroy that immortal emblem of humanity-the
Declaration of Independence. (Speech at Bards-
town, ILL.,, Aug. r. 1859
have often inquired of myself what great prin-
ciple or idea it that kept this confederacy so
long together. 1t not the mere matter Of the
separation of the colonies from the motherland
but that sentiment in the Declaration of Indepen-
dence which gave liberty, not alone to the people
of this country but, l hope, to the world for all
future time. 1t was that which gave promise that
in due time the weight would be lifted from the
shoulders of all men. (Speech at Independence
Hail. Philadelphia Feb. %, 1861
But soberly, it is now child's play to save
the principles of Jefferson from total overthrow
in this nation. This is a world of COM
pensation and he who would be no slave must
consent to have slave. Those who deny free
dom to others deserve it not for themselves, and,
under just God, cannot long retain it. All honor
to Jefferson-tO the man VINO, in the concrete
pressure of struggle for national independence
by a single people, had the GOODNESS, forecast, ana
capacity to introduce into merely revolutionary
document an abstract truth, applicable to all men
and all times, and to embalm it there that to-
day, and in all coming days. it shall be rebuke
and stumblingblock to the very harbingers of
reappearing tyranny and oppression. Oetter to
Republicans of Boston, April g. 1859, In reply to
an invitation to attend a celebration In honor of
Jeffersons birthday
This declared Indifference, but as l must think,
covert zeal, for the spread of slavery, I cannot
hut hate hate it because of the monstrous In
Justice Of slavery itself l hate it because it de-
prives our republican example Of it's just nf1u-
ence in the world, enables the enemies of free
institutions with plausibility, to taunt us hypo
critics. causes the real friends of freedom to doubt
our sincerity. and especially because 1t forces so