Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1922-02-08
LINCOLN F0RESAW
POSSIBLE DANGER
URGED NECESSITY FOR RESPECT
FOR LAW AND ORDER
Words of the Great Emaneipator Es-
peeially Significant in the Turmoil
OF the World Today.


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
10 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-" said Mr. Lin
coin, "we. the American people, ind
our account running the date OF the
Nineteenth century of the Christian
era. We find ourselves in the peaceful
possession Of the falrest portion of the
earth as regards extent Of territory
fertility OF soil and Salubrlty Of
climate. We find ourselves under the
government OF a system of political IN
stltutiOns conducting more essentially
10 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 tOlled not I'm the acquire
ment or establishment of them, they
are a legacy bequeathed TO us by once
A hardy. brave, and patriotic, but now
lumented and departed, race OF our
ancestors. Theirs was the task (and
uohly they performed IT'D 10 possess
themselves, and through themselves
rs. of this goodly land, and to uprear
npon its hills and its valleys a political
edihce Of liberty and equal rights; It's
purs only TO transmit these-the
former unprofaned by the foot of an
invader. the latter undecayed by the
lapse OF time and uniform by usurpa-
ti0n-tO the latest generation that fate
shall hermit the world 20 know. This
task Of gratitude 10 our fathers, jus
tice to ourselves. duty 10 pOsterity
and love for our species in general all
imperatively require us faithfully 10
perform.
"How. then. shall we perform Il? At
what point shall we expect the APP
proach Of danger? BY what means
shall we fortify against II? Shall we
pxrect some transatlantic military
giant 10 step the ocean and crush us
OF a blow? Never!
"AIl the armies OF Europe, Asia, and
Africa combined, with all the treasure
Of the earth (our own excepted) in
I their military chest, with a Bo1aparte
fer n commander. could not by force
take n drink from the Ohio or make
q track on the Blue ridge In trial Of
thousand years.
AT what point is the approach Of
danger 20 be expected? l answer, If
Il ever reaches US IL must spring up
amongst us: IL cannot come from
abroad. II destruction be our lot we
must ourselves be its author and
Hmlsher AS a nation Of free men we
must live through all time, or die by
uiclde."
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:
Il know the American people are
E UWNn ANANNAtu "
know they would suffer much for its
sake; know they would endure evils
long and patiently before they would
ever think of exchanging IL for another
yet. Notwithstanding all this. IL the
laws be continually disregarded and
desplsed. IL their rights 10 be secure
IN their persons and property are held
BY no better tenure than the caprice
of a mob. the alienation Of their affec-
lions from the government is the
natural consequence. and TO that
sooner or later IL must come.
Here, then. is one point from which
danger must be expected.
"The question recurs. How shall we
fortify against it,
"The answer Is simple. / ct every
American. every lover Of liberty. every
well-wisher to his posterity swear by
the blood IF the Revolution never 10
violate In the east particular the laws