Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1943-02-13
Lincoln S Faith

n Lincoln left his home Illinois for Washington to
be naugurated president and en- route ne stopped in
Trenton ~ j. address the members of the Senate OF
that state.
Mr. Lincoln knew there gong 10 be war be-
tween the states with preservation destruction of the
Union the issue.
The Confcdcracy had been organized on February
at Montgomery Ala. with six states seeding from the
Union jefferson Davis had been elected president of
the ConfcderaUy, and a constitution drawn.
MR.. LINCOLN took advantage of his brief stop at
wi Trenton on February p to make it clear to his
countrymen what he proposed TO do in this situation
He recalled that his earliest reading boy had
taught him merely how the United States founded
but WHY.
He said it was not the hardshps and heroism of the
American revolutIonaries that impressed him. but the
something more than common that these struggled
for"
He expressed the conviction that the thing accom-
pished bv the American Revolution held out a great
promise to all the people of the world for all time to
come"
Whereupon, Mr.. Lincoln said
II am exceedingly anxious that this Union, THE
CONSTITUTION AND ALL THE LIBERTIES OF THE
PEOPLE, shall be perpetuated IN ACCORDANCE WITH
THE ORIGINAL IDEA for which that struggle
made; and shall he most happy indeed If I shall be
humble instrument in the hands of the Almighty, and Of
His almost chosen people for pepeuatng the object of
that great struggle"
THAT was the purpose and pledge of Abraham Lincoln
the eve of war-to preserve America according to
the ORIGINAL IDEA.
Let reflect upon that for a moment, with
present situation in mind.
Here Mr.. Lincoln accepting leadership of nation
not simply at war but divided within itself.
He did not did so many people of his time,
that nation brought to such crisis must have insecure
foundations
He did not say that since the American system had
fallen upon such unhappy time it failure.
He did not look elsewhere for better system, or
seek to conjure a better system of his design
Instead Mr.. Lincoln had mistaken faith in "the
original idea
He proposed to make it work
He determined to preserve and perpetuate it.
And the Civil War fought according to that
cept and was won, and the Union was saved.
TO-DAY, we have another great in progress with
fundamentally the issue, although, of course,
with danger and menace from a different
In the present war America is not divided within
itself but is unified and strong.
But there people today who say, did people
in Mr.. Lincon's time that nation brought to such
crisis must have insecure foundations and that since the
American system had not prevented such unhappy
thing it must be failure
These people skeptcal about 1.-The something
than common" for which the American Revolution
fought.
They forget the great promise held out ito all the
people of the world for all time to come"
They ready and willing to look elsewhere for a
better system of government and eager and
ambitious to conjure system of their design,
embodying abandonment of the original AMERICAN idea.
THE American people must have the faith and
purpose in this that Mr.. Lincoln had in the hour
OF his acceptance of fateful responsibility
The American people must have leaders imbued with
his faith
The Union, the Constitution and all the liberties Of
the people will only be perpetuaed Abraham Lincoln
said long they preserved accordance with the
original idea for which the first struggle made.
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