the writings-2-第42章

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We　have　another　annual　Presidential　message。　　Like　a　rejected

lover　making　merry　at　the　wedding　of　his　rival；　the　President

felicitates　himself　hugely　over　the　late　Presidential　election。

He　considers　the　result　a　signal　triumph　of　good　principles　and

good　men；　and　a　very　pointed　rebuke　of　bad　ones。　　He　says　the

people　did　it。　　He　forgets　that　the　〃people；〃　as　he　complacently

calls　only　those　who　voted　for　Buchanan；　are　in　a　minority　of　the

whole　people　by　about　four　hundred　thousand　votesone　full　tenth

of　all　the　votes。　　Remembering　this；　he　might　perceive　that　the

〃rebuke〃　may　not　be　quite　as　durable　as　he　seems　to　thinkthat

the　majority　may　not　choose　to　remain　permanently　rebuked　by　that

minority。



The　President　thinks　the　great　body　of　us　Fremonters；　being

ardently　attached　to　liberty；　in　the　abstract；　were　duped　by　a

few　wicked　and　designing　men。　　There　is　a　slight　difference　of

opinion　on　this。　　We　think　he；　being　ardently　attached　to　the

hope　of　a　second　term；　in　the　concrete；　was　duped　by　men　who　had

liberty　every　way。　　He　is　the　cat's…paw。　　By　much　dragging　of

chestnuts　from　the　fire　for　others　to　eat；　his　claws　are　burnt

off　to　the　gristle；　and　he　is　thrown　aside　as　unfit　for　further

use。　　As　the　fool　said　of　King　Lear；　when　his　daughters　had

turned　him　out　of　doors；　〃He　's　a　shelled　peascod〃　＇〃That　's　a

sheal'd　peascod〃）。



So　far　as　the　President　charges　us　〃with　a　desire　to　change　the

domestic　institutions　of　existing　States；〃　and　of　〃doing

everything　in　our　power　to　deprive　the　Constitution　and　the　laws

of　moral　authority；〃　for　the　whole　party　on　belief；　and　for

myself　on　knowledge；　I　pronounce　the　charge　an　unmixed　and

unmitigated　falsehood。



Our　government　rests　in　public　opinion。　　Whoever　can　change

public　opinion　can　change　the　government　practically　just　so

much。　　Public　opinion；　on　any　subject；　always　has　a　〃central

idea；〃　from　which　all　its　minor　thoughts　radiate。　　That　〃central

idea〃　in　our　political　public　opinion　at　the　beginning　was；　and

until　recently　has　continued　to　be；　〃the　equality　of　men。〃　And

although　it　has　always　submitted　patiently　to　whatever　of

inequality　there　seemed　to　be　as　matter　of　actual　necessity；　its

constant　working　has　been　a　steady　progress　toward　the　practical

equality　of　all　men。　　The　late　Presidential　election　was　a

struggle　by　one　party　to　discard　that　central　idea　and　to

substitute　for　it　the　opposite　idea　that　slavery　is　right　in　the

abstract；　the　workings　of　which　as　a　central　idea　may　be　the

perpetuity　of　human　slavery　and　its　extension　to　all　countries

and　colors。　　Less　than　a　year　ago　the　Richmond　Enquirer；　an

avowed　advocate　of　slavery；　regardless　of　color；　in　order　to

favor　his　views；　invented　the　phrase　〃State　equality；〃　and　now

the　President；　in　his　message；　adopts　the　Enquirer's　catch…

phrase；　telling　us　the　people　〃have　asserted　the　constitutional

equality　of　each　and　all　of　the　States　of　the　Union　as　States。〃

The　President　flatters　himself　that　the　new　central　idea　is

completely　inaugurated；　and　so　indeed　it　is；　so　far　as　the　mere

fact　of　a　Presidential　election　can　inaugurate　it。　　To　us　it　is

left　to　know　that　the　majority　of　the　people　have　not　yet

declared　for　it；　and　to　hope　that　they　never　will。



All　of　us　who　did　not　vote　for　Mr。　Buchanan；　taken　together；　are

a　majority　of　four　hundred　thousand。　　But　in　the　late　contest　we

were　divided　between　Fremont　and　Fillmore。　　Can　we　not　come

together　for　the　future？　　Let　every　one　who　really　believes　and

is　resolved　that　free　society　is　not　and　shall　not　be　a　failure；

and　who　can　conscientiously　declare　that　in　the　last　contest　he

has　done　only　what　he　thought　bestlet　every　such　one　have

charity　to　believe　that　every　other　one　can　say　as　much。　　Thus

let　bygones　be　bygones；　let　past　differences　as　nothing　be；　and

with　steady　eye　on　the　real　issue　let　us　reinaugurate　the　good

old　〃central　idea〃　of　the　republic。　　We　can　do　it。　　The　human

heart　is　with　us；　God　is　with　us。　　We　shall　again　be　able；　not　to

declare　that　〃all　States　as　States　are　equal；〃　nor　yet　that　〃all

citizens　as　citizens　are　equal；〃　but　to　renew　the　broader；　better

declaration；　including　both　these　and　much　more；　that　〃all　men

are　created　equal。









TO　Dr。　R。　BOAL。



SPRINGFIELD；　Dec。　25；　1856。



DEAR　SIR：…When　I　was　at　Chicago　two　weeks　ago　I　saw　Mr。　Arnold；

and　from　a　remark　of　his　I　inferred　he　was　thinking　of　the

speakership；　though　I　think　he　was　not　anxious　about　it。　　He

seemed　most　anxious　for　harmony　generally；　and　particularly　that

the　contested　seats　from　Peoria　and　McDonough　might　be　rightly

determined。　　Since　I　came　home　I　had　a　talk　with　Cullom；　one　of

our　American　representatives　here；　and　he　says　he　is　for　you　for

Speaker　and　also　that　he　thinks　all　the　Americans　will　be　for

you；　unless　it　be　Gorin；　of　Macon；　of　whom　he　cannot　speak。　　If

you　would　like　to　be　Speaker　go　right　up　and　see　Arnold。　　He　is

talented；　a　practised　debater；　and；　I　think；　would　do　himself

more　credit　on　the　floor　than　in　the　Speaker's　seat。　　Go　and　see

him；　and　if　you　think　fit；　show　him　this　letter。



Your　friend　as　ever；



A。　LINCOLN。









1857





TO　JOHN　E。　　ROSETTE。

Private。



SPRINGFIELD；　ILL。；　February　10；　1857。



DEAR　SIR：Your　note　about　the　little　paragraph　in　the　Republican

was　received　yesterday；　since　which　time　I　have　been　too　unwell

to　notice　it。　　I　had　not　supposed　you　wrote　or　approved　it。　　The

whole　originated　in　mistake。　　You　know　by　the　conversation　with

me　that　I　thought　the　establishment　of　the　paper　unfortunate；　but

I　always　expected　to　throw　no　obstacle　in　its　way；　and　to

patronize　it　to　the　extent　of　taking　and　paying　for　one　copy。

When　the　paper　was　brought　to　my　house；　my　wife　said　to　me；　〃Now

are　you　going　to　take　another　worthless　little　paper？〃；　I　said　to

her　evasively；　〃I　have　not　directed　the　paper　to　be　left。〃　From

this；　in　my　absence；　she　sent　the　message　to　the　carrier。　　This

is　the　whole　story。



Yours　truly；



A。　LINCOLN。









RESPONSE　TO　A　DOUGLAS　SPEECH



SPEECH　IN　SPRINGFIELD；　ILLINOIS；

JUNE　26；　1857。



FELLOW…CITIZENS：I　am　here　to…night　partly　by　the　invitation　of

some　of　you；　and　partly　by　my　own　inclination。　　Two　weeks　ago

Judge　Douglas　spoke　here　on　the　several　subjects　of　Kansas；　the

Dred　Scott　decision；　and　Utah。　　I　listened　to　the　speech　at　the

time；　and　have　the　report　of　it　since。　　It　was　intended　to

controvert　opinions　which　I　think　just；　and　to　assail

（politically；　not　personally）　those　men　who；　in　common　with　me；

entertain　those　opinions。　　For　this　reason　I　wished　then；　and

still　wish；　to　make　some　answer　to　it；　which　I　now　take　the

opportunity　of　doing。



I　begin　with　Utah。　　If　it　prove　to　be　true；　as　is　probable；　that

the　people　of　Utah　are　in　open　rebellion　to　the　United　States；

then　Judge　Douglas　is　in　favor　of　repealing　their　territorial

organization；　and　attaching　them　to　the　adjoining　States　for

judicial　purposes。　　I　say；　too；　if　they　are　in　rebellion；　they

ought　to　be　somehow　coerced　to　obedience；　and　I　am　not　now

prepared　to　admit　or　deny　that　the　Judge's　mode　of　coercing　them

is　not　as　good　as　any。　　The　Republicans　can　fall　in　with　it

without　taking　back　anything　they　have　ever　said。　　To　be　sure；　it

would　be　a　considerable　backing　down　by　Judge　Douglas　from　his

much…vaunted　doctrine　of　self…government　for　the　Territories；　but

this　is　only　additional　proof　of　what　was　very　plain　from　the

beginning；　that　that　doctrine　was　a　mere　deceitful　pretense　for

the　benefit　of　slavery。　　Those　who　could　not　see　that　much　in　the

Nebraska　act　itself；　which　forced　governors；　and　secretaries；　and

judges　on　the　people　of　the　Territories　without　their　choice　or

consent；　could　not　be　made　to　see；　though　one　should　rise　from

the　dead。



But　in　all　this　it　is　very　plain　the　Judge　evades　the　only

question　the　Republicans　have　ever　pressed　upon　the　Democracy　in

regard　to　Utah。　　That　question　the　Judge　well　knew　to　be　this：

〃If　the　people　of　Utah　peacefully　form　a　State　constitution

tolerating　polygamy；　will　the　Democracy　admit　them　into　the

Union？〃　There　is　nothing　in　the　United　States　Constitution　or　law

against　polygamy；　and　why　is　it　not　a　part　of　the　Judge's　〃sacred

right　of　self…government〃　for　the　people　to　have　it；　or　rather　to

keep　it；　if　they　choose？　　These　questions；　so　far　as　I　know；　the

Judge　never　answers。　　It　might　involve　the　Democracy　to　answer

them　either　way；　and　they　go　unanswered。



As　to　Kansas。　　The　substance　of　the　Judge's　speech　on　Kansas　is

an　effort　to　put　the　free…State　men　in　the　wrong　for　not　voting

at　the　election　of　delegates　to　the　constitutional　convention。

He　says：



〃There　is　every　reason　to　hope　and　believe　that　the　law　will　be

fairly　interpreted　and　impartially　executed；　so　as　to　insure　to

every　bona　fide　inhabitant　the　free　and　quiet　exercise　of　the

elective　franchise。〃



It　appears　extraordinary　that　Judge　Douglas　should　make　such　a

statement。　　He　knows　that；　by　the　law；　no　one　can　vote　who　has

not　been　registered；　and　he　knows　that　the　free…State　men　place

their　refusal　to　vote　on　the　ground　that　but　few　of　them　have

been　registered。　　It　is　possible　that　this　is　not　true；　but　Judge

Douglas　knows　it　is　asserted　to　be　true　in　letters；　newspapers；

and　public　speeches；　and　borne　by　every　mail　and　blown　by　every

breeze　to　the　eyes　and　ears　of　the　world。　　He　knows　it　is　boldly

declared　that　the　people　of　many　whole　counties；　and　many　whole

neighborhoods　in　others；　are　left　unregistered；　yet　he　does　not

venture　to　contradict　the　declaration；　or　to　point　out　how　they

can　vote　without　being　registered；　but　he　just　slips　along；　not

seeming　to　know　there　is　any　such　question　of　fact；　and

complacently　declares：



　〃There　is　every　reason　to　hope　and　believe　that　the　law　will　be

fairly　and　impartially　executed；　so　as　to　insure　to　every　bona

fide　inhabitant　the　free　and　quiet　exercise　of　the　elective

franchise。〃



I　readily　agree　that　if　all　had　a　chance　to　vote　they　ought　to

have　voted。　　If；　on　the　contrary；　as　they　allege；　and　Judge

Douglas　ventures　not　to　particularly　contradict；　few　only　of　the

free…State　men　had　a　chance　to　vote；　they　were　perfectly　right　in

staying　from　the　polls　in　a　body。



By　the　way；　since　the　Judge　spoke；　the　Kansas　election　has　come

off。　　The　Judge　expressed　his　confidence　that　all　the　Democrats

in　Kansas　would　do　their　duty…including　〃free…State　Democrats；〃

of　course。　　The　returns　received　here　as　yet　are　very　incomplete；

but　so　far　as　they　go；　they　indicate　that　only　about　one　sixth　of

the　registered　voters　have　really　voted；　and　this；　too；　when　not

more；　perhaps；　than　one　half　of　the　rightful　voters　have　been

registered；　thus　showing　the　thing　to　have　been　altogether　the

most　exquisite　farce　ever　enacted。　　I　am　watching　with

considerable　interest　to　ascer