The Works of Robert G. Ingersoll, Vol. 09 (of 12): Dresden Edition—PoliticalIngersoll, Robert Green
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The Works of Robert G. Ingersoll, Vol. 09 (of 12): Dresden Edition—Political
Ingersoll, Robert Green
Free thought
Now, I am not only in favor of free speech and an honest ballot-box and
an honest collection of the revenue of the United States, and an honest
money, but I am in favor of the idea, of the great and splendid
truth, that this is a Nation one and indivisible. I deny that we are a
confederacy bound together with ropes of cloud and chains of mist. This
is a Nation, and every man in it owes his first allegiance to the grand
old flag for which more brave blood was shed than for any other flag
that waves in the sight of heaven. There is another thing; we all want
to live in a land where the law is supreme. We desire to live beneath a
flag that will protect every citizen beneath its folds. We desire to be
citizens of a Government so great and so grand that it will command
the respect of the civilized world. Most of us are convinced that our
Government is the best upon this earth. It is the only Government
where manhood, and manhood alone, is not made simply a condition of
citizenship, but where manhood, and manhood alone, permits its possessor
to have his equal share in control of the Government. It is the only
Government in the world where poverty is upon an exact equality with
wealth, so far as controlling the destiny of the Republic is concerned.
It is the only Nation where the man clothed in rags stands upon an
equality with the one wearing purple. It is the only country in the
world where, politically, the hut is upon an equality with the palace.
For that reason every poor man should stand by this Government, and
every poor man who does not is a traitor to the best interests of his
children; every poor man who does not is willing his children should
bear the badge of political inferiority; and the only way to make this
Government a complete and perfect success is for the poorest man to
think as much of his manhood as the millionaire does of his wealth. A
man does not vote in this country simply because he is rich; he does
not vote in this country simply because he has an education; he does
not vote simply because he has talent or genius; we say that he votes
because he is a man, and that he has his manhood to support; and we
admit in this country that nothing can be more valuable to any human
being than his manhood, and for that reason we put poverty on an
equality with wealth. We say in this country manhood is worth more than
gold. We say in this country that without Liberty the Nation is not
worth preserving. Now, I appeal to-day to every poor man; I appeal
to-day to every laboring man, and I ask him, is there another country on
this globe where you can have equal rights with others? There is another
thing; do you want a Government of law or of brute force? In which part
of this country do you find law supreme? In which part of this country
can a man find justice in the courts; in the North or in the South?
Where is crime punished? Where is innocence protected, in the North or
in the South? Which section of this country will you trust?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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