the writings-3-第21章

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will　come　to　an　end；until　it　shall　either　be　placed　back　where

it　originally　stood；　and　where　the　fathers　originally　placed　it；

or；　on　the　other　hand；　until　it　shall　entirely　master　all

opposition？　　This　is　the　view　I　entertain；　and　this　is　the　reason

why　I　entertained　it；　as　Judge　Douglas　has　read　from　my

Springfield　speech。



Now；　my　friends；　there　is　one　other　thing　that　I　feel　myself

under　some　sort　of　obligation　to　mention。　　Judge　Douglas　has　here

to…dayin　a　very　rambling　way；　I　was　about　sayingspoken　of　the

platforms　for　which　he　seeks　to　hold　me　responsible。　　He　says；

〃Why　can't　you　come　out　and　make　an　open　avowal　of　principles　in

all　places　alike？〃　and　he　reads　from　an　advertisement　that　he

says　was　used　to　notify　the　people　of　a　speech　to　be　made　by

Judge　Trumbull　at　Waterloo。　　In　commenting　on　it　he　desires　to

know　whether　we　cannot　speak　frankly　and　manfully；　as　he　and　his

friends　do。　　How；　I　ask；　do　his　friends　speak　out　their　own

sentiments？　　A　Convention　of　his　party　in　this　State　met　on　the

21st　of　April　at　Springfield；　and　passed　a　set　of　resolutions

which　they　proclaim　to　the　country　as　their　platform。　　This　does

constitute　their　platform；　and　it　is　because　Judge　Douglas　claims

it　is　his　platformthat　these　are　his　principles　and　purposes

that　he　has　a　right　to　declare　he　speaks　his　sentiments　〃frankly

and　manfully。〃　　On　the　9th　of　June　Colonel　John　Dougherty；

Governor　Reynolds；　and　others；　calling　themselves　National

Democrats；　met　in　Springfield　and　adopted　a　set　of　resolutions

which　are　as　easily　understood；　as　plain　and　as　definite　in

stating　to　the　country　and　to　the　world　what　they　believed　in　and

would　stand　upon；　as　Judge　Douglas's　platform　　Now；　what　is　the

reason　that　Judge　Douglas　is　not　willing　that　Colonel　Dougherty

and　Governor　Reynolds　should　stand　upon　their　own　written　and

printed　platform　as　well　as　he　upon　his？　　Why　must　he　look

farther　than　their　platform　when　he　claims　himself　to　stand　by

his　platform？



Again；　in　reference　to　our　platform：　On　the　16th　of　June　the

Republicans　had　their　Convention　and　published　their　platform；

which　is　as　clear　and　distinct　as　Judge　Douglas's。　　In　it　they

spoke　their　principles　as　plainly　and　as　definitely　to　the　world。

What　is　the　reason　that　Judge　Douglas　is　not　willing　I　should

stand　upon　that　platform？　　Why　must　he　go　around　hunting　for　some

one　who　is　supporting　me　or　has　supported　me　at　some　time　in　his

life；　and　who　has　said　something　at　some　time　contrary　to　that

platform？　　Does　the　Judge　regard　that　rule　as　a　good　one？　　If　it

turn　out　that　the　rule　is　a　good　one　for　methat　I　am

responsible　for　any　and　every　opinion　that　any　man　has　expressed

who　is　my　friend；then　it　is　a　good　rule　for　him。　　I　ask；　is　it

not　as　good　a　rule　for　him　as　it　is　for　me？　　In　my　opinion；　it　is

not　a　good　rule　for　either　of　us。　　Do　you　think　differently；

Judge？



＇Mr。　DOUGLAS：　I　do　not。＇



Judge　Douglas　says　he　does　not　think　differently。　　I　am　glad　of

it。　　Then　can　he　tell　me　why　he　is　looking　up　resolutions　of　five

or　six　years　ago；　and　insisting　that　they　were　my　platform；

notwithstanding　my　protest　that　they　are　not；　and　never　were　my

platform；　and　my　pointing　out　the　platform　of　the　State

Convention　which　he　delights　to　say　nominated　me　for　the　Senate？

I　cannot　see　what　he　means　by　parading　these　resolutions；　if　it

is　not　to　hold　me　responsible　for　them　in　some　way。　　If　he　says

to　me　here　that　he　does　not　hold　the　rule　to　be　good；　one　way　or

the　other；　I　do　not　comprehend　how　he　could　answer　me　more　fully

if　he　answered　me　at　greater　length。　　I　will　therefore　put　in　as

my　answer　to　the　resolutions　that　he　has　hunted　up　against　me；

what　I；　as　a　lawyer；　would　call　a　good　plea　to　a　bad　declaration。

I　understand　that　it　is　an　axiom　of　law　that　a　poor　plea　may　be　a

good　plea　to　a　bad　declaration。　　I　think　that　the　opinions　the

Judge　brings　from　those　who　support　me；　yet　differ　from　me；　is　a

bad　declaration　against　me；　but　if　I　can　bring　the　same　things

against　him；　I　am　putting　in　a　good　plea　to　that　kind　of

declaration；　and　now　I　propose　to　try　it。



At　Freeport；　Judge　Douglas　occupied　a　large　part　of　his　time　in

producing　resolutions　and　documents　of　various　sorts；　as　I

understood；　to　make　me　somehow　responsible　for　them；　and　I

propose　now　doing　a　little　of　the　same　sort　of　thing　for　him。　　In

1850　a　very　clever　gentleman　by　the　name　of　Thompson　Campbell；　a

personal　friend　of　Judge　Douglas　and　myself；　a　political　friend

of　Judge　Douglas　and　opponent　of　mine；　was　a　candidate　for

Congress　in　the　Galena　District。　　He　was　interrogated　as　to　his

views　on　this　same　slavery　question。　　I　have　here　before　me　the

interrogatories；　and　Campbell's　answers　to　themI　will　read

them：









INTERROGATORIES：



〃1st。　　Will　you；　if　elected；　vote　for　and　cordially　support　a

bill　prohibiting　slavery　in　the　Territories　of　the　United　States？



〃2d。　　Will　you　vote　for　and　support　a　bill　abolishing　slavery　in

the　District　of　Columbia？



〃3d。　　Will　you　oppose　the　admission　of　any　Slave　States　which　may

be　formed　out　of　Texas　or　the　Territories？



〃4th。　　Will　you　vote　for　and　advocate　the　repeal　of　the　Fugitive

Slave　law　passed　at　the　recent　session　of　Congress？



〃5th。　　Will　you　advocate　and　vote　for　the　election　of　a　Speaker

of　the　House　of　Representatives　who　shall　be　willing　to　organize

the　committees　of　that　House　so　as　to　give　the　Free　States　their

just　influence　in　the　business　of　legislation？



〃6th。　　What　are　your　views；　not　only　as　to　the　constitutional

right　of　Congress　to　prohibit　the　slave…trade　between　the　States；

but　also　as　to　the　expediency　of　exercising　that　right

immediately？〃









CAMPBELL'S　REPLY。



〃To　the　first　and　second　interrogatories；　I　answer　unequivocally

in　the　affirmative。



〃To　the　third　interrogatory　I　reply；　that　I　am　opposed　to　the

admission　of　any　more　Slave　States　into　the　Union；　that　may　be

formed　out　of　Texas　or　any　other　Territory。



〃To　the　fourth　and　fifth　interrogatories　I　unhesitatingly　answer

in　the　affirmative。



〃To　the　sixth　interrogatory　I　reply；　that　so　long　as　the　Slave

States　continue　to　treat　slaves　as　articles　of　commerce；　the

Constitution　confers　power　on　Congress　to　pass　laws　regulating

that　peculiar　COMMERCE；　and　that　the　protection　of　Human　Rights

imperatively　demands　the　interposition　of　every　constitutional

means　to　prevent　this　most　inhuman　and　iniquitous　traffic。



〃T。　　CAMPBELL。〃









I　want　to　say　here　that　Thompson　Campbell　was　elected　to　Congress

on　that　platform；　as　the　Democratic　candidate　in　the　Galena

District；　against　　Martin　P。　　Sweet。



＇Judge　DOUGLAS：　Give　me　the　date　of　the　letter。＇



The　time　Campbell　ran　was　in　1850。　　I　have　not　the　exact　date

here。　　It　was　some　time　in　1850　that　these　interrogatories　were

put　and　the　answer　given。　　Campbell　was　elected　to　Congress；　and

served　out　his　term。　　I　think　a　second　election　came　up　before　he

served　out　his　term；　and　he　was　not　re…elected。　　Whether　defeated

or　not　nominated；　I　do　not　know。　　＇Mr。　Campbell　was　nominated　for

re…election　by　the　Democratic　party；　by　acclamation。＇　At　the　end

of　his　term　his　very　good　friend　Judge　Douglas　got　him　a　high

office　from　President　Pierce；　and　sent　him　off　to　California。　　Is

not　that　the　fact？　　Just　at　the　end　of　his　term　in　Congress　it

appears　that　our　mutual　friend　Judge　Douglas　got　our　mutual

friend　Campbell　a　good　office；　and　sent　him　to　California　upon

it。　　And　not　only　so；　but　on　the　27th　of　last　month；　when　Judge

Douglas　and　myself　spoke　at　Freeport　in　joint　discussion；　there

was　his　same　friend　Campbell；　come　all　the　way　from　California；

to　help　the　Judge　beat　me；　and　there　was　poor　Martin　P。　　Sweet

standing　on　the　platform；　trying　to　help　poor　me　to　be　elected。

That　is　true　of　one　of　Judge　Douglas's　friends。



So　again；　in　that　same　race　of　1850；　there　was　a　Congressional

Convention　assembled　at　Joliet；　and　it　nominated　R。　　S。　　Molony

for　Congress；　and　unanimously　adopted　the　following　resolution：



〃Resolved；　That　we　are　uncompromisingly　opposed　to　the　extension

of　slavery；　and　while　we　would　not　make　such　opposition　a　ground

of　interference　with　the　interests　of　the　States　where　it　exists；

yet　we　moderately　but　firmly　insist　that　it　is　the　duty　of

Congress　to　oppose　its　extension　into　Territory　now　free；　by　all

means　compatible　with　the　obligations　of　the　Constitution；　and

with　good　faith　to　our　sister　States；　that　these　principles　were

recognized　by　the　Ordinance　of　1787；　which　received　the　sanction

of　Thomas　Jefferson；　who　is　acknowledged　by　all　to　be　the　great

oracle　and　expounder　of　our　faith。〃



Subsequently　the　same　interrogatories　were　propounded　to　Dr。

Molony　which　had　been　addressed　to　Campbell　as　above；　with　the

exception　of　the　6th；　respecting　the　interstate　slave　trade；　to

which　Dr。　　Molony；　the　Democratic　nominee　for　Congress；　replied

as　follows：



〃I　received　the　written　interrogatories　this　day；　and；　as　you

will　see　by　the　La　Salle　Democrat　and　Ottawa　Free　Trader；　I　took

at　Peru　on　the　5th；　and　at　Ottawa　on　the　7th；　the　affirmative

side　of　interrogatories　1st　and　2d；　and　in　relation　to　the

admission　of　any　more　Slave　States　from　Free　Territory；　my

position　taken　at　these　meetings；　as　correctly　reported　in　said

papers；　was　emphatically　and　distinctly　opposed　to　it。　　In

relation　to　the　admission　of　any　more　Slave　States　from　Texas；

whether　I　shall　go　against　it　or　not　will　depend　upon　the　opinion

that　I　may　hereafter　form　of　the　true　meaning　and　nature　of　the

resolutions　of　annexation。　　If；　by　said　resolutions；　the　honor

and　good　faith　of　the　nation　is　pledged　to　admit　more　Slave

States　from　Texas　when　she　（Texas）　may　apply　for　the　admission　of

such　State；　then　I　should；　if　in　Congress；　vote　for　their

admission。　　But　if　not　so　PLEDGED　and　bound　by　sacred　contract；

then　a　bill　for　the　admission　of　more　Slave　States　from　Texas

would　never　receive　my　vote。



〃To　your　fourth　interrogatory　I　answer　most　decidedly　in　the

affirmative；　and　for　reasons　set　forth　in　my　reported　remarks　at

Ottawa　last　Monday。



〃To　your　fifth　interrogatory　I　also　reply　in　the　affirmative　most

cordially；　and　that　I　will　use　my　utmost　exertions　to　secure　the

nomination　and　election　of　a　man　who　will　accomplish　the　objects

of　said　interrogatories。　　I　most　cordially　approve　of　the

resolutions　adopted　at　the　Union　meeting　held　at　Princeton　on　the

27th　September　ult。



〃Yours；　etc。；R。　　S。　　MOLONY。〃









All　I　have　to　say　in　regard　to　Dr。　　Molony　is　that　he　was　the

regularly　nominated　Democratic　candidate　for　Congress　in　his

district；　was　elected　at　that　time；　at　the　end　of　his　term　was

appointed　to　a　land…office　at　Danville。　　（I　never　heard　anything

of　Judge　Douglas's　instrumentality　in　this。）　He　held　this　office

a　considerable　time；　and　when　we