Where
is the
great prophet now? Dead and dust, now, in our moment of
peril? Only his wisdom survives. What did he tell
us? "At
what point then is the approach of danger to be expected? I answer, if
it ever reach us, it must spring up amongst us. It cannot come from
abroad. If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and
finisher. As a nation of freemen, we must live through all time, or die
by suicide."
'The pillars of the temple of liberty,' 'hewn from the quarry of sober
reason' but eroded by 'passion and ignorance' are crumbling and the
temple is falling. We few, 'still possessed of some general
intelligence, sound morality and an abiding reverence for the
constitution and laws:' while we breathe possibly the last free
breaths, let us assemble for one more charge. Sound the call
and
rouse your inner Washington; that part of us that does not hesitate to
choose justice, does neither shrink from battle nor lust for
power. Remember and awaken the American Cincinnatus who so
easily
could have claimed a throne but chose instead the rightful legacy of
greatness that the amazed and grateful inheritors of freedom proffered
for lack of a just compensation.
Supporting the 'lofty edifice of freedom', 'erected by our forefathers'
and entrusted in turn to the generations between them and us, is not 'a
gratifying task to the Caesar's and Napoleons now descended upon
us.' "Those who belong to the family of the lion, or the
tribe of
the eagle" scorn our monuments, our laws, our culture, our freedom and
discount our very lives. These "geniuses thirst and burn for
distinction; and, if possible, will have it, whether at the expense of
emancipating slaves, or enslaving freemen."
"Distinction is their paramount object, and although they would as
willingly, perhaps more so, acquire it by doing good as harm; yet, that
opportunity being past, and nothing left to be done in the way of
building up, they boldly set to the task of pulling down." They have
harnessed the "jealousy, envy, and avarice, incident to our nature, and
so common to a state of peace, prosperity, and conscious strength", to
the task of our destruction and enslavement.
The 'scenes of the revolution' have faded. Passion for
freedom
and justice has abated. This is the 'salve of time', erasing
wounds and monuments alike. Can we, as descendants of free
men
and women 'be united with each other, attached to the government and
laws, and generally intelligent, successfully frustrate their
designs?' Only if we are successful will history tell our
story. For it is the survivors who write the
epitaphs. And,
if they be not us, freedom itself may become but an abused legend.
For now I implore all of you in the name of the American and martyr
whose greatness we are heir to and that I have been quoting these past
moments. Rise and vote so our children need not rise and
fight. "This task of gratitude to our fathers, justice to
ourselves, duty to posterity, and love for our species in general, all
imperatively require us faithfully to perform."
quotes are from Abraham Lincoln's Lyceum
speech
Alex Miller U.S. Senate
Content copyright 2009-2010. Alex Miller All rights
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