Seven long years of war--fighting for what? For the principle that
all men were created equal--a truth that nobody ever disputed except
a scoundrel; nobody in the entire history of this world. No man ever
denied that truth who was not a rascal, and at heart a thief; never,
never, and never will. What else were they fighting for? Simply that in
America every man should have a right to life, liberty and the pursuit
of happiness. Nobody ever denied that except a villain; never, never.
It has been denied by kings--they were thieves. It has been denied by
statesmen--they were liars. It has been denied by priests, by clergymen,
by cardinals, by bishops and by popes--they were hypocrites. What else
were they fighting for? For the idea that all political power is vested
in the great body of the people. They make all the money; do all the
work. They plow the land; cut down the forests; they produce everything
that is produced. Then who shall say what shall be done with what is
produced except the producer?