The Wonderful Story of Lincoln: And the Meaning of His Life for the Youth and Patriotism of AmericaStevens, C. M. (Charles McClellan)
History
The Wonderful Story of Lincoln: And the Meaning of His Life for the Youth and Patriotism of America
Stevens, C. M. (Charles McClellan)
Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865 -- Juvenile literature
2. The ideal of brotherly love has no limit.
3. All life must be duly respected.
4. Human rights are the same for one and all.
5. Love of country coincides with love of humanity.
Such principles and such a definition of patriotism were upheld by the
makers and preservers of America, at the greatest cost of treasure and
life, and they are the life-interest of every one worthy of the name
American. It moved Bishop J. P. Newman to say of Lincoln in his
anniversary oration of 1894, "Lincoln's mission was as large as his
country, vast as humanity, enduring as time. No greater thought can
ever enter the human mind than obedience to law and freedom for
all.... Time has vindicated the character of his statesmanship, that
to preserve the Union was to save this great nation for human
liberty."
American faith has at last come to the conditions when it can realize
itself in fulfilling the moral work of the world. That vision came
into full view during the Great European War.
President Wilson, in his address to Congress, April 2, 1917, said:
"We are at the beginning of an age in which it will be insisted that
the same standards of conduct and of responsibility for wrong shall be
observed among nations and their Governments that are observed among
the individual citizens of civilized states."
Congress acted upon this reaffirmation of the responsibility of
Americans and the mission of America. Concerning the monstrous
invasion of humanity and ruthless denial of international law, he
said:
"Neutrality is no longer feasible or desirable where the peace of the
world is involved and the freedom of its peoples and the menace to
that peace and freedom lies in the existence of autocratic Governments
backed by organized force which is controlled wholly by their will,
not by the will of their people. We have seen the last of neutrality
in such circumstances."
The Way of Peace, as the morality of democracies, he clearly defined,
so that even the worst prejudice could not becloud the issue with
irrelevant or contradictory assertions.
"A steadfast concert for peace can never be maintained except by a
partnership of democratic nations. No autocratic Government could be
trusted to keep faith within it or observe its covenants. It must be a
league of honor, a partnership of opinion. Intrigue would eat its
vitals away; the plotters of inner circles who could plan what they
would and render account to no one would be a corruption seated at its
very heart. Only free peoples can hold their purpose and their honor
steady to a common end and prefer the interests of mankind to any
narrow interest of their own."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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