the life of stephen a. douglas-第18章

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d　either　become　free　States　or　all　become　slave　States。　　But　this　was　not　the　true　theory　of　the　American　Union。　　The　States　differed　widely　in　soil；　climate；　resources；　tastes　and　habits。　　Their　laws　and　institutions　were　utterly　unlike。　New　Hampshire's　laws　were　unfit　for　South　Carolina；　those　of　New　York　were　not　suited　to　the　Pacific　Coast。　　Uniformity　in　local　and　domestic　affairs　would　be　destructive　of　State　rights；　State　sovereignty　and　personal　liberty。　　Uniformity　was　the　parent　of　despotism　the　world　over。　　The　only　way　of　attaining　Lincoln's　proposed　uniformity　would　be　to　abolish　State　legislatures；　blot　out　State　sovereignty　and　merge　the　States　into　one　consolidated　empire。　　But　diversity；　dissimilarity；　variety　in　all　their　local　and　domestic　institutions　was　the　great　safeguard　of　their　liberties。　He　insisted　on　reverently　bowing　to　the　Supreme　Court　as　the　authoritative　expounder　of　the　Constitution；　rather　than　appealing　from　it　to　a　tumultuous　town　meeting　where　constitutional　questions　arose。　　The　Federal　Government　was　founded　on　the　white　basis。　It　was　made　by　white　men；　for　the　benefits　of　white　men；　to　be　administered　by　white　men　in　such　manner　as　they　should　determine。　Let　each　State　decide　for　itself　how　it　would　treat　the　negroes　and　let　its　neighbors　alone。

〃The　issues　between　Mr。　Lincoln　and　myself；〃　he　said；　〃are　made　up；　*　*　*　*。　　He　goes　for　uniformity　in　our　domestic　institutions；　for　a　war　of　sections；　until　one　or　the　other　shall　be　subdued。　　I　go　for　*　*　*　the　right　of　the　people　to　decide　for　themselves。　　On　the　other　hand　Mr。　Lincoln　goes　for　a　warfare　on　the　Supreme　Court。　*　*　*　*　I　yield　obedience　to　the　decisions　of　that　Court。　　*　*　*　*　I　am　opposed　to　negro　equality。　　I　repeat　that　this　nation　is　a　white　people；　*　*　*　*　a　people　that　have　established　this　Government　for　themselves　and　their　posterity。　　*　*　*　*　I　am　opposed　to　taking　any　step　that　recognizes　the　negro　man　*　*　*　as　the　equal　of　the　white　man。　　I　am　opposed　to　giving　him　a　voice　in　the　administration　of　the　Government。〃

The　reception　was　recognized　by　the　politicians　of　both　parties　as　a　great　success。　　It　was　a　brilliant　opening　of　the　senatorial　campaign。　　The　Republicans　were　anxious　to　counteract　it。　　On　the　following　evening　Lincoln　spoke　at　the　same　place。　　He　had　a　large　and　enthusiastic　audience。　　But　he　was　not　an　impromptu　orator　at　all　comparable　to　Douglas。　　While　his　carefully　prepared　Springfield　speech　was　decidedly　better　than　Douglas'　dashing　address　in　Chicago；　his　unprepared　speech　was　by　no　means　equal　to　it。　　The　marked　disparity　between　the　two　speeches　must　have　intensified　the　suspicion　among　Lincoln's　friends　that　he　was　no　match　for　his　rival　on　the　stump。

On　the　16th　of　July　Douglas　again　spoke　to　a　vast　multitude　at　Bloomington。　　He　made　an　artful　appeal　for　the　Whig　vote　by　a　well　turned　compliment　to　〃Kentucky's　great　and　gallant　statesman；　John　J。　Crittenden；〃　who　proposed　to　refer　the　whole　question　back　to　the　people　of　Kansas　and　thus　〃showed　himself　a　worthy　successor　of　the　immortal　Clay。〃　　The　Republicans　had　〃endorsed　the　great　principle　of　the　Kansas…Nebraska　bill；〃　they　had　〃come　to　the　Douglas　platform　in　supporting　the　Crittenden…Montgomery　bill。〃　　The　compromise　of　1850　embodied　the　principle　that　every　people　ought　to　have　the　privilege　of　forming　and　regulating　their　own　institutions　to　suit　themselves。　　Each　State　had　that　right　and　no　reason　existed　why　it　should　not　be　extended　to　the　Territories。　　The　Illinois　House　of　Representatives　by　an　almost　unanimous　vote　had　asserted　that　the　principle　embodied　in　the　measures　of　1850　was　the　birth…right　of　free　men；　the　gift　of　heaven；　a　principle　vindicated　by　our　Revolutionary　fathers；　that　no　limitation　should　ever　be　placed　upon　it　either　in　the　organization　of　a　territorial　government　or　the　admission　of　a　State　into　the　Union。　　In　conformity　with　that　principle　he　had　brought　in　the　Kansas…Nebraska　bill；　for　which　Lincoln　and　his　friends　were　seeking　his　defeat。

〃I　have　known　Lincoln　well；〃　he　said；　〃for　a　quarter　of　a　century。　I　have　known　him　as　you　all　know　him；　a　kind…hearted；　amiable　gentleman；　a　right　good　fellow；　a　worthy　citizen；　of　eminent　ability　as　a　lawyer；　and；　I　have　no　doubt；　sufficient　ability　to　make　a　good　Senator。〃

He　examined　Lincoln's　〃house　divided…against…itself〃　philosophy；　pointing　out　that　the　house　had　been　divided　for　nearly　seventy　years　and　still　stood。

〃How　is　Lincoln；　if　elected　Senator；　going　to　carry　out　that　principle　which　he　says　is　essential　to　the　existence　of　this　Union；　that　slavery　must　be　abolished　in　all　the　States；　or　must　be　established　in　all？　　*　*　*　*　He　invites；　by　his　proposition；　a　war　between　Illinois　and　Kentucky；　a　war　between　the　free　States　and　the　slave　States；　a　war　between　the　North　and　the　South；　for　the　purpose　of　either　exterminating　slavery　in　every　Southern　State；　or　planting　it　in　every　Northern　State。　　*　*　*　*　*　What　man　in　Illinois　would　not　lose　the　last　drop　if　his　heart's　blood　before　he　would　submit　to　the　institution　of　slavery　being　forced　upon　us　by　the　other　States　against　our　will？　　*　*　*　What　Southern　man　would　not　shed　the　last　drop　of　his　heart's　blood　to　prevent　Illinois　or　any　other　Northern　State　from　interfering　to　abolish　slavery　in　his　State？　　*　*　*　*　I　am　opposed　to　organizing　a　sectional　party　which　appeals　to　Northern　pride　and　Northern　passion　and　prejudice　against　Southern　institutions；　thus　stirring　up　ill　feeling　and　hot　blood　between　brethren　of　the　same　Republic。　　*　*　*　*　How　is　he　to　carry　out　his　principles　when　he　gets　to　the　Senate？　　Does　he　intend　to　introduce　a　bill　to　abolish　slavery　in　Kentucky？　　Does　he　intend　to　introduce　a　bill　to　interfere　with　slavery　in　Virginia？　　How　is　he　to　accomplish　what　he　professes　must　be　done　to　save　the　Union？

〃There　would　be　but　one　way　to　carry　out　his　ideas。　　That　would　be　to　establish　a　consolidated　empire　as　destructive　to　the　liberties　of　the　people　and　the　rights　of　the　citizen　as　that　of　Austria　or　Russia　or　any　other　despotism　that　rests　upon　the　necks　of　the　people　*　*　*　*。　　Who　among　you　expects　to　live　or　have　his　children　live　until　slavery　shall　be　established　in　Illinois　or　abolished　in　South　Carolina？　　*　*　*　*　There　is　but　one　possible　way　in　which　slavery　can　be　abolished　and　that　is　by　leaving　a　State　*　*　*　*　perfectly　free　to　form　and　regulate　its　institutions　in　its　own　way。　　That　was　the　principle　upon　which　this　Republic　was　founded。　*　*　*　*　Under　its　operation　slavery　disappeared　from　New　Hampshire；　from　Rhode　Island；　from　Connecticut；　from　New　York；　from　New　Jersey；　from　Pennsylvania；　from　six　of　the　twelve　original　slave　holding　States；　and　this　gradual　emancipation　went　on　so　long　as　we　in　the　free　states　minded　our　own　business　and　left　our　neighbors　alone；　*　*　*　*　so　long　as　the　free　States　were　content　with　managing　their　own　affairs　and　leaving　the　South　perfectly　free　to　do　as　they　pleased。　　But　the　moment　the　North　said；　'We　are　powerful　enough　to　control　you　of　the　South；'　*　*　*　*　that　moment　the　South　combined　to　resist　the　attack　and　thus　sectional　parties　were　formed　and　gradual　emancipation　ceased　in　all　the　Northern　slave　holding　States　*　*　*。

〃Lincoln　makes　another　issue；　*　*　*　*　a　crusade　against　the　Supreme　Court　of　the　United　Sates　because　of　its　decision　in　the　Dred　Scott　case。　　*　*　*　*　I　have　no　crusade　to　preach　against　that　august　body。　　*　*　*　*　I　receive　the　decision　of　the　Judges　of　that　Court　when　pronounced　as　the　final　adjudication　upon　all　questions　within　their　jurisdiction。　　*　*　*　*　Unless　we　respect　and　bow　in　deference　to　the　final　decisions　of　the　highest　judicial　tribunal　in　our　country；　we　are　driven　at　once　to　anarchy；　to　violence；　to　mob　law；　and　there　is　no　security　left　for　our　property　or　our　own　civil　rights。　　*　*　*　*　Are　we　to　appeal　from　the　Supreme　Court　to　a　country　meeting　like　this？　　*　*　*　Does　Mr。　Lincoln　intend　to　appeal　from　the　decision　of　the　Supreme　Court　to　a　Republican　caucus　or　a　town　meeting？　　*　*　*　He　tells　you　that　he　is　opposed　to　the　decision　in　the　Dred　Scott　case。　　Well；　suppose　he　is；　what　is　he　going　to　do　about　it？　　I　never　got　beat　in　a　law　suit　in　my　life　that　I　was　not　opposed　to　the　decision。　　*　*　*　*　This　Government　is　divided　into　three　separate　and　distinct　branches。　　*　*　*　*　Each　one　is　supreme　within　the　circle　of　its　own　powers。　　The　functions　of　Congress　are　to　enact　the　statutes；　the　province　of　the　Court　is　to　pronounce　upon　their　validity；　and　the　duty　of　the　Executive　is　to　carry　the　decision　into　effect。〃

Yet；　he　said；　Lincoln　wants　to　be　elected　Senator　in　order　to　reverse　the　Dred　Scott　decision　by　passing　another　unconstitutional　statute。　　He　can　not　get　rid　of　the　Judges　now　on　the　bench　until　they　die。　　He　must　first　elect　a　Republican　President　by　Northern　votes　bound　by　pledges　to　appoint　none　but　Republicans　to　the　bench。　He　must　then　persuade　the　Judges　to　die。　　The　President　must　pledge　his　new　Judges　in　advance　to　decide　this　slavery　question　according　to　the　wishes　of　his　party；　regardless　of　the　Constitution。　　What　confidence　would　the　people　have　in　a　Court　thus　constituted？a　Court　composed　of　partisan　Judges；　appointed　on　political　grounds；　catechized　in　advance　and　pledged　in　regard　to　a　decision　before　the　argument　and　without　reference　to　the　state　of　facts？　　Would　such　a　Court　command　the　respect　of　the　country？　　Without　regard　to　the　Dred　Scott　decision　slavery　will　go　just　where　the　people　want　it　and　not　one　inch　further。

〃I　tell　you；　my　friends；　it　is　impossible　under　our　institutions　to　force　slavery　on　an　unwilling　people。　　If　this　principle　of　popular　sovereignty　*　*　*　be　fairly　carried　out　by　letting　the　people　decide　the　question　for　themselves　by　a　fair　vote　at　a　fair　election　and　with　honest　returns；　slavery　will　never　exist　one　day　or　one　hour　in　any　Territory　against　the　unfriendly　legislation　of　an　unfriendly　people。　　I　care　not　how　the　Dred　Scott　decision　may　have　settled　the　abstract　question　so　far　as　the　practical　results　are　concerned。　　*　*　*　If　the　people　of　the　Territory　want　slavery　they　will　encourage　it　by　passing　affirmatory　laws　and　the　necessary　police　regulations；　patrol　laws　and　slave　code；　if　they　do　not　want　it　they　will　withhold　that　legislation　and　by　withholding　it　slavery　is　a　dead　as　if　prohibited　by　a　constitutional　provision。　　*　*　*　*　*　They　could　pass　such　local　laws　as　would　drive　slavery　out　in　one　day　or　one　hour；　if　they　were　opposed　to　it；　and　therefore；　so　far　as　the　question　of　slavery　in　the　Territory　is　concerned；　so　far　as　the　principle　of　popular　sovereignty　is　concerned　in　its　practical　operation；　it　matters　not　how　the　Dred　Scott　case　may　be　decided。　*　*　*　*　*　Whether　slavery　shall　exist　or　shall　not　exist　in　any　State　or　Territory　will　depend　on　whether　the　people　are　for　or　against　it；　and　which　ever　way　they　shall　decide　it　will　be　entirely　satisfactory　to　me。〃

The　Dred　Scott　case；　he　continued；　decides　that　negroes　are　not　citizens。　　But　Lincoln　insists　on　conferring　on　them　all　the　privileges；　rights　and　immunities　of　citizens。　　〃I　believe　this　Government　of　ours　was　founded　on　the　white　basis。　　I　believe　it　was　established　for　white　men；　of　the　benefit　of　white　men　and　their　posterity　in　all　time　to