the writings-5-第15章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



enough　that　there　can　be　no　mistake　in　the　purpose　of　the　Legislature

to　make　them　so　burdensome；　this　same　Supreme　Court　will　decide　that

law　to　be　unconstitutional；　and　he　will　be　ready　to　say　for　your

benefit　〃I　swear　by　the　court；　I　give　it　up〃；　and　while　that　is　going

on　he　has　been　getting　all　his　men　to　swear　by　the　courts；　and　to

give　it　up　with　him。　In　this　again　he　serves　you　faithfully；　and；　as

I　say；　more　wisely　than　you　serve　yourselves。



Again：　I　have　alluded　in　the　beginning　of　these　remarks　to　the　fact

that　Judge　Douglas　has　made　great　complaint　of　my　having　expressed

the　opinion　that　this　government　〃cannot　endure　permanently；　half

slave　and　half　free。〃　　He　has　complained　of　Seward　for　using

different　language；　and　declaring　that　there　is　an　〃irrepressible

conflict〃　between　the　principles　of　free　and　slave　labor。　　＇A　voice：

〃　He　says　it　is　not　original　with　Seward。　　That　it　is　original　with

Lincoln。〃＇　　I　will　attend　to　that　immediately；　sir。　Since　that　time；

Hickman　of　Pennsylvania　expressed　the　same　sentiment。　He　has　never

denounced　Mr。　Hickman：　why？　　There　is　a　little　chance；

notwithstanding　that　opinion　in　the　mouth　of　Hickman；　that　he　may　yet

be　a　Douglas　man。　　That　is　the　difference！　　It　is　not　unpatriotic　to

hold　that　opinion　if　a　man　is　a　Douglas　man。



But　neither　I；　nor　Seward；　nor　Hickman　is　entitled　to　the　enviable　or

unenviable　distinction　of　having　first　expressed　that　idea。　　That

same　idea　was　expressed　by　the　Richmond　Enquirer；　in　Virginia；　in

1856；quite　two　years　before　it　was　expressed　by　the　first　of　us。

And　while　Douglas　was　pluming　himself　that　in　his　conflict　with　my

humble　self；　last　year；　he　had　〃squelched　out〃　that　fatal　heresy；　as

he　delighted　to　call　it；　and　had　suggested　that　if　he　only　had　had　a

chance　to　be　in　New　York　and　meet　Seward　he　would　have　〃squelched〃　it

there　also；　it　never　occurred　to　him　to　breathe　a　word　against　Pryor。

I　don't　think　that　you　can　discover　that　Douglas　ever　talked　of　going

to　Virginia　to　〃squelch〃　out　that　idea　there。　　No。　　More　than　that。

That　same　Roger　A。　Pryor　was　brought　to　Washington　City　and　made　the

editor　of　the　par　excellence　Douglas　paper；　after　making　use　of　that

expression；　which；　in　us；　is　so　unpatriotic　and　heretical。　　From　all

this；　my　Kentucky　friends　may　see　that　this　opinion　is　heretical　in

his　view　only　when　it　is　expressed　by　men　suspected　of　a　desire　that

the　country　shall　all　become　free；　and　not　when　expressed　by　those

fairly　known　to　entertain　the　desire　that　the　whole　country　shall

become　slave。　When　expressed　by　that　class　of　men；　it　is　in　nowise

offensive　to　him。　In　this　again；　my　friends　of　Kentucky；　you　have

Judge　Douglas　with　you。



There　is　another　reason　why　you　Southern　people　ought　to　nominate

Douglas　at　your　convention　at　Charleston。　　That　reason　is　the

wonderful　capaciity　of　the　man；the　power　he　has　of　doing　what　would

seem　to　be　impossible。　Let　me　call　your　attention　to　one　of　these

apparently　impossible　things：



Douglas　had　three　or　four　very　distinguished　men　of　the　most　extreme

anti…slavery　views　of　any　men　in　the　Republican　party　expressing

their　desire　for　his　re…election　to　the　Senate　last　year。　　That

would；　of　itself；　have　seemed　to　be　a　little　wonderful；　but　that

wonder　is　heightened　when　we　see　that　Wise　of　Virginia；　a　man　exactly

opposed　to　them；　a　man　who　believes　in　the　divine　right　of　slavery；

was　also　expressing　his　desire　that　Douglas　should　be　reelected；　that

another　man　that　may　be　said　to　be　kindred　to　Wise；　Mr。　Breckinridge；

the　Vice…President；　and　of　your　own　State；　was　also　agreeing　with　the

anti…slavery　men　in　the　North　that　Douglas　ought　to　be　re…elected。

Still　to　heighten　the　wonder；　a　senator　from　Kentucky；　whom　I　have

always　loved　with　an　affection　as　tender　and　endearing　as　I　have　ever

loved　any　man；　who　was　opposed　to　the　anti…slavery　men　for　reasons

which　seemed　sufficient　to　him；　and　equally　opposed　to　Wise　and

Breckinridge；　was　writing　letters　into　Illinois　to　secure　the

reelection　of　Douglas。　　Now；　that　all　these　conflicting　elements

should　be　brought；　while　at　daggers'　points　with　one　another；　to

support　him；　is　a　feat　that　is　worthy　for　you　to　note　and　consider。

It　is　quite　probable　that　each　of　these　classes　of　men　thought；　by

the　re…election　of　Douglas；　their　peculiar　views　would　gain

something：　it　is　probable　that　the　anti…slavery　men　thought　their

views　would　gain　something；　that　Wise　and　Breckinridge　thought　so

too；　as　regards　their　opinions；　that　Mr。　Crittenden　thought　that　his

views　would　gain　something；　although　he　was　opposed　to　both　these

other　men。　　It　is　probable　that　each　and　all　of　them　thought　that

they　were　using　Douglas；　and　it　is　yet　an　unsolved　problem　whether　he

was　not　using　them　all。　　If　he　was；　then　it　is　for　you　to　consider

whether　that　power　to　perform　wonders　is　one　for　you　lightly　to　throw

away。



There　is　one　other　thing　that　I　will　say　to　you；　in　this　relation。　It

is　but　my　opinion；　I　give　it　to　you　without　a　fee。　　It　is　my　opinion

that　it　is　for　you　to　take　him　or　be　defeated；　and　that　if　you　do

take　him　you　may　be　beaten。　　You　will　surely　be　beaten　if　you　do　not

take　him。　　We；　the　Republicans　and　others　forming　the　opposition　of

the　country；　intend　to　〃stand　by　our　guns；〃　to　be　patient　and　firm；

and　in　the　long　run　to　beat　you；　whether　you　take　him　or　not。　　We

know　that　before　we　fairly　beat　you　we　have　to　beat　you　both

together。　　We　know　that　you　are　〃all　of　a　feather；〃　and　that　we　have

to　beat　you　all　together；　and　we　expect　to　do　it。　　We　don't　intend　to

be　very　impatient　about　it。　　We　mean　to　be　as　deliberate　and　calm

about　it　as　it　is　possible　to　be；　but　as　firm　and　resolved　as　it　is

possible　for　men　to　be。　　When　we　do　as　we　say；beat　you；you

perhaps　want　to　know　what　we　will　do　with　you。



I　will　tell　you；　so　far　as　I　am　authorized　to　speak　for　the

opposition；　what　we　mean　to　do　with　you。　We　mean　to　treat　you；　as

near　as　we　possibly　can；　as　Washington；　Jefferson；　and　Madison

treated　you。　　We　mean　to　leave　you　alone；　and　in　no　way　interfere

with　your　institution；　to　abide　by　all　and　every　compromise　of　the

Constitution；　and；　in　a　word；　coming　back　to　the　original

proposition；　to　treat　you；　so　far　as　degenerated　men　（if　we　have

degenerated）　may；　according　to　the　examples　of　those　noble　fathers；

Washington；　Jefferson；　and　Madison。　　We　mean　to　remember　that　you　are

as　good　as　we；　that　there　is　no　difference　between　us　other　than　the

difference　of　circumstances。　　We　mean　to　recognize　and　bear　in　mind

always　that　you　have　as　good　hearts　in　your　bosoms　as　other　people；

or　as　we　claim　to　have；　and　treat　you　accordingly。　　We　mean　to　marry

your　girls　when　we　have　a　chance；　the　white　ones　I　mean；　and　I　have

the　honor　to　inform　you　that　I　once　did　have　a　chance　in　that　way。



I　have　told　you　what　we　mean　to　do。　I　want　to　know；　now；　when　that

thing　takes　place；　what　do　you　mean　to　do？　　I　often　hear　it　intimated

that　you　mean　to　divide　the　Union　whenever　a　Republican；　or　anything

like　it；　is　elected　President　of　the　United　States。　　＇A　voice：　〃That

is　so。〃＇　　〃That　is　so；〃　one　of　them　says；　I　wonder　if　he　is　a

Kentuckian？　　＇A　voice：　〃He　is　a　Douglas　man。〃＇　　Well；　then；　I　want　to

know　what　you　are　going　to　do　with　your　half　of　it？　　Are　you　going　to

split　the　Ohio　down　through；　and　push　your　half　off　a　piece？　　Or　are

you　going　to　keep　it　right　alongside　of　us　outrageous　fellows？　　Or

are　you　going　to　build　up　a　wall　some　way　between　your　country　and

ours；　by　which　that　movable　property　of　yours　can't　come　over　here

any　more；　to　the　danger　of　your　losing　it？　　Do　you　think　you　can

better　yourselves；　on　that　subject；　by　leaving　us　here　under　no

obligation　whatever　to　return　those　specimens　of　your　movable

property　that　come　hither？　　You　have　divided　the　Union　because　we

would　not　do　right　with　you；　as　you　think；　upon　that　subject；　when　we

cease　to　be　under　obligations　to　do　anything　for　you；　how　much　better

off　do　you　think　you　will　be？　　Will　you　make　war　upon　us　and　kill　us

all？　　Why；　gentlemen；　I　think　you　are　as　gallant　and　as　brave　men　as

live；　that　you　can　fight　as　bravely　in　a　good　cause；　man　for　man；　as

any　other　people　living；　that　you　have　shown　yourselves　capable　of

this　upon　various　occasions：　but；　man　for　man；　you　are　not　better

than　we　are；　and　there　are　not　so　many　of　you　as　there　are　of　us。　You

will　never　make　much　of　a　hand　at　whipping　us。　　If　we　were　fewer　in

numbers　than　you；　I　think　that　you　could　whip　us；　if　we　were　equal；

it　would　likely　be　a　drawn　battle；　but　being　inferior　in　numbers；　you

will　make　nothing　by　attempting　to　master　us。



But　perhaps　I　have　addressed　myself　as　long；　or　longer；　to　the

Kentuckians　than　I　ought　to　have　done；　inasmuch　as　I　have　said　that

whatever　course　you　take　we　intend　in　the　end　to　beat　you。　　I　propose

to　address　a　few　remarks　to　our　friends；　by　way　of　discussing　with

them　the　best　means　of　keeping　that　promise　that　I　have　in　good　faith

made。



It　may　appear　a　little　episodical　for　me　to　mention　the　topic　of

which　I　will　speak　now。　It　is　a　favorite　position　of　Douglas's　that

the　interference　of　the　General　Government；　through　the　Ordinance　of

'87；　or　through　any　other　act　of　the　General　Government　never　has

made　or　ever　can　make　a　free　State；　the　Ordinance　of　'87　did　not　make

free　States　of　Ohio；　Indiana；　or　Illinois；　that　these　States　are　free

upon　his　〃great　principle〃　of　popular　sovereignty；　because　the　people

of　those　several　States　have　chosen　to　make　them　so。　　At　Columbus；

and　probably　here；　he　undertook　to　compliment　the　people　that　they

themselves　have　made　the　State　of　Ohio　free；　and　that　the　Ordinance

of　'87　was　not　entitled　in　any　degree　to　divide　the　honor　with　them。

I　have　no　doubt　that　the　people　of　the　State　of　Ohio　did　make　her

free　according　to　their　own　will　and　judgment；　but　let　the　facts　be

remembered。



In　1802；　I　believe；　it　was　you　who　made　your　first　constitution；　with

the　clause　prohibiting　slavery；　and　you　did　it；　I　suppose；　very

nearly　unanimously；　but　you　should　bear　in　mind　that　youspeaking　of

you　as　one　peoplethat　you　did　so　unembarrassed　by　the　actual

presence　of　the；　institution　amongst　you；　that　you　made　it　a　free

State　not　with　the　embarrassment　upon　you　of　already　having　among　you

many　slaves；　which　if　they　had　been　here；　and　you　had　sought　to　make

a　free　State；　you　would　not　know　what　to　do　with。　　If　they　had　been

among　you；　embarrassing　difficulties；　most　probably；　would　have

induced　you　to　tolerate　a　slave　constitution　instead　of　a　free　one；

as　indeed　these　very　difficulties　have　constrained　every　people　on

this　continent　who　have　adopted　slavery。



Pray　what　was　it　that　made　you　free？　　What　kept　you　free？　　Did　you

not　find　your　country　free　when　you　came　to　decide　that　Ohio　should

be　a　free　State？　　It　is　important　to　inquire　by　what　reason　you　found

it　so。　　Let　us　take　an　illustration