The Owosso times., 1922-02-10
LINCOLN FORESAW
POSSIBLE DANGER
URGED NECESSITY FOR RESPECT
FOR LAW AND ORDER
pecialiy Significant In the Turmoil
Of the World Today.
Wits
AssWs2

In his first great patriotic speech
now too little known, Abraham Lincoln
forecast many Of the present day
political and social conditions. The
theme of this speech was the danger
to American institutions that would
come from within and the need for
a greater respect, for law and order.
"In the great journal Of things hap
pening under the sum-" sale Mr.. Lin
coin, 1--WE, the American people, find
our account running the date of the
Nineteenth century Of the Christian
era. We find ourselves in the peaceful
possession of the fairest portion of the
earth as regards extent Of territory,
fertility of soil and salubrity Of
climate. We find ourselves under the
government of a system of political in
stitutions conducting more essentially
to the ends of civil and religious
liberty than any of which the history
of former times tells us.
"We, when mounting the stage Of
existence, found ourselves the legal
inheritors of these fundamental bles-
sings. We toiled not in the acquire
ment or establishment Of them. they
are a legacy bequeathed to us by once
a hardy, brave and patriotic, but now
lamented and departed. race Of our
ancestors. Theirs was the task (and
nobly they performed it) to possess
themselves, and through themselves
us, of this goodly land, and to uprear
upon it's hills and its valleys political
edifice of liberty and equal rights; It's
ours only to transmit tbese-the
former unprofaned by the foot Of an
Invader. the latter undecayed by the
lapse Of time and untorn by usurpa-
tion-to the latest generation that fate
shall permit the world to know. This
task of gratitude to our fathers, JUS
tice to ourselves, duty to posterity
and love for our species in general all
imperatively require us faithfully to
perform.
"How, then, shall we perform It? At
what point shall we expect the ap-
proach Of danger? BY what means
shall we fortify against It? Shall we
expect some transatlantic military
giant to step the ocean and crush us
at blow? Never!
"All the armies Of Europe Asia, and
Africa combined, with all the treasure
Of the earth (our own excepted) in
their military chest, with Bonaparte
for commander, could not by force
take a drink from the Ohio or make
nly In ~ fov nf
a thousand years.
"At what point Is the approach Of
danger to be expected? 1 answer, II |
IT ever reaches us 1t must spring up |
amongst us; 1t cannot come from |
abroad. II destruction be our lot we |
must ourselves be it's author and |
finisher. AS a nation Of free men we |
must live through all time, or die by |
suicide"
After giving some examples of the |
evil effects on the innocent as well as |
the guilty, which occurred in the
operation Of mob violences. Mr.. Lin
coin continued:
"I know the American people are
much attached to their government;
know they would suffer much for Its
sake; know they would endure evils
long and patiently before they would
ever think Of exchanging 1t for another
yet, Notwithstanding all this, If the
laws be continually disregarded and
despised, II their rights to be secure
In their persons and property are held
by no better tenure than the caprice
Of a mob, the alienation Of their affec-
tions from the government Is the
natural consequence, and to that
ueoner or later II must come.
"Here, then, is one point from which
Danger must be expected.
"The question recurs, How shall we
'ortify against itT
"The answer II simple. Let every
American, every lover Of liberty, every
to his posterity swear by
he blood Of the Revolution never to
,ioiate In The least particular the laws