“To be ignorant of the lives of the most celebrated men of antiquity is to continue in a state of childhood all our days.” Plutarch
The following excerpt is from my lastest book, MYSTERY OF THE STURBRIDGE KEYS, subtitled CHRISTMAS UNLOCKED. In Chapter 7, a history lesson is being taught in an educational evening as part of the Christmas By Candlelight Celebration held at Old Sturbridge Village. While Old Sturbridge Village is a major tourist attraction in Sturbridge, Massachusetts; and the Christmas By Candlelight event is a real attraction held each year, the educational program written about in this book, although fiction, draws on the accurate history of 1830. It recalls the words of then Massachusetts Senator Daniel Webster and soon to be President Abraham Lincoln in the Gettysburg Address, which are appropriate for every citizen in the United States of America today.
Let us not forget the history of our country, which many lives have lived for, fought and died for, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. In 1830, thirty years before Abraham Lincoln became president, Lincoln is so inspired by Massachusetts Senator Daniel Webster’s view of what the government is, and how it ought to be run, that he adopts the words of Webster in the Gettysburg Address.
MYSTERY OF THE STURBRIDGE KEYS, page 86-87:
(The character of Abe mentioned below is a young, fictional boy in the story. President Abraham Lincoln is mentioned as such.)
“Massachusetts Senator Daniel Webster gave a speech known as the Second Reply to Hayne, where he famously thundered ‘Liberty and Union, now and forever, one and inseparable!’ In Webster’s speech on January 26, 1830 before the United States Senate, he described the federal government as: ‘made for the people, made by the people, and answerable to the people.” Does this sound familiar?'” Lily asks.
“Yes,” Abe answers. “President Lincoln spoke of this in the Gettysburg Address.
“Lily nods. ‘In 1830, Abraham Lincoln has not been elected President yet. He is elected as our sixteenth president on November 6, 1860. But he is very interested in Webster’s 1830 speech, so much so, that he rephrases the conclusion of the Gettysburg Address with, ‘… and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.’ It is worth mentioning that the Springfield Republican newspaper, from just a few towns west of here, published the Gettysburg Address in its entirety, saying it was a ‘perfect gem, deep in feeling, compact in thought and expression, tasteful and elegant in every word and comma.
“Lily adds, ‘Webster also noted, ‘This government, Sir, is the independent offspring of the popular will. It is not a creature of State legislatures; nay, more, if the whole truth be told, the people brought it into existence, established it, and have hitherto supported it, for the very purpose, amongst others, of imposing certain salutary restraints on State sovereignties.’ Union responsibilities and States rights were just as important to the people back then as it is today.
“Abe pauses for a moment, worried about Grammy Rose, and who will take care of her. Grammy Rose was just asking his Mom yesterday what will happen if her Social Security gets cut.”
This is the same question senior citizens in theupcoming November 3, 2020 election face. The tax cuts promised by the Republican party are shown to be cuts to Social Security and Medicare.
The United States of America is founded upon the popular will of the people, seeking a more perfect union, in life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for all people of every race, color, creed, financial status, political affiliation, gender and age.
We stand up, showing what the popular will of the people is by voting, a right long ago established in the USA. This right is our right, which is not under the thumb of any other country or devious agenda. No one can take this right away from you and me.
This is the United States of America, not an authoritarian dictatorship. We need to remember our history so that we can make better decisions for our future.
THE MYSTERY OF THE STURBRIDGE KEYS is available at:
https://www.iuniverse.com/en/bookstore/bookdetails/747239-Mystery-of-the-Sturbridge-Keys
soft cover $13.00
E-Book $3.99
Namaste