Fwd: New Common Sense: Under God, An Inconvenient Phrase

New Common Sense Applying First Principles to the Issues of Today At Heritage Is there a moral defense for free markets and capitalism? Does Islamist ideology challenge America's founding principles? Around the Country Want to see experts discussing America's First Principles and the Constitution? Join Heritage at the annual Values Voter Summit on September 17-19, 2010 in Washington, DC. "Barack Obama has managed a rare feat in American history: The longer he is president, the less presidential he has become." Check out James W. Ceaser's article, "The Unpresidential President." Quick Thoughts Will the First Amendment survive this Congress? Senator Lindsey Graham misunderstands the Federalist Papers. Perhaps he has not seen our latest monograph. What We're Reading: The Sacred Rights of Conscience: Selected Readings on Religious Liberty and Church-State Relations in the American Founding edited by Daniel L. Dreisbach and Mark David Hall.   "Under God," An Inconvenient Phrase The Gettysburg Address is one of the greatest speeches in American history. In his short speech, Abraham Lincoln summarizes the first principles of our Founding and admonishes us to defend the republican and constitutional institutions essential to the American tradition. It is no surprise, then, that Lincoln's memorable words are etched in marble walls, or that groups across the country distribute it as part of a pocket guide. It is a surprise, when a group excludes phrases from this short speech and then suggests that fidelity to the text is irrelevant. That is exactly what the progressive legal society, American Constitution Society (ACS), did with its pocket guide to the Constitution, Declaration of Independence, and Gettysburg address. Here is what Lincoln said: "It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they here gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain; that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom; and that this government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth." (Words in the original, emphasis added) Noticeably absent from ACS's version of Gettysburg address is Lincoln's reference to God in the last sentence. In his article "God and Gettysburg," Professor Robert P. George of Princeton University highlights the importance of getting the text of the Gettysburg Address right. After all, numerous newspaper accounts and transcriptions of the Address, as well as three of the five drafts (including the Bliss Draft with Lincoln's signature) contain the phrase "under God." ACS has since amended its version of the Gettysburg Address to include the words "The Hay Draft," without further context. George supplies the missing history of the Hay draft, though: "the Hay draft was found among [Lincoln's former secretary] John Hay's papers about forty years after Lincoln's death. It seems to have the greatest number of deviations from other drafts and from what Lincoln is known to have said at Gettysburg." ACS further responds that George's concern for fidelity to Lincoln's original speech is unnecessary. After all, "the draft of the Gettysburg address included in our pocket Constitution is just that, one of Lincoln's drafts." In the end, it seems that the final text of documents is not that important. Good thing we are only discussing the Gettysburg Address and not, say, the United States Constitution. Keep Reading about God and the Gettysburg Address                        Forward this message to a Friend!   Quote of the Week                            There is not a single instance in history in which civil liberty was lost, and religious liberty preserved entire. If therefore we yield up our temporal property, we at the same time deliver the conscience into bondage.. ~ John Witherspoon, The Dominion of Providence Over the Passions of Men For more quotes, visit westillholdthesetruths.org About The Heritage Foundation Founded in 1973, The Heritage Foundation is a research and educational institute -- a think tank -- whose mission is to formulate and promote conservative public policies based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong national defense. The Heritage Foundation | 214 Massachusetts Ave NE, Washington, DC 20002 | 202.546.4400