the writings-2-第36章

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low…water　trip　on　a　steamboat　from　Louisville　to　St。　　Louis。　　You

may　remember；　as　I　well　do；　that　from　Louisville　to　the　mouth　of

the　Ohio　there　were　on　board　ten　or　a　dozen　slaves　shackled

together　with　irons。　　That　sight　was　a　continued　torment　to　me；

and　I　see　something　like　it　every　time　I　touch　the　Ohio　or　any

other　slave　border。　　It　is　not　fair　for　you　to　assume　that　I　have

no　interest　in　a　thing　which　has；　and　continually　exercises；　the

power　of　making　me　miserable。　　You　ought　rather　to　appreciate　how

much　the　great　body　of　the　Northern　people　do　crucify　their

feelings；　in　order　to　maintain　their　loyalty　to　the　Constitution

and　the　Union。　　I　do　oppose　the　extension　of　slavery　because　my

judgment　and　feeling　so　prompt　me；　and　I　am　under　no　obligations

to　the　contrary。　　If　for　this　you　and　I　must　differ；　differ　we

must。　　You　say；　if　you　were　President；　you　would　send　an　army　and

hang　the　leaders　of　the　Missouri　outrages　upon　the　Kansas

elections；　still；　if　Kansas　fairly　votes　herself　a　slave　State

she　must　be　admitted　or　the　Union　must　be　dissolved。　　But　how　if

she　votes　herself　a　slave　State　unfairly；　that　is；　by　the　very

means　for　which　you　say　you　would　hang　men？　　Must　she　still　be

admitted；　or　the　Union　dissolved？　　That　will　be　the　phase　of　the

question　when　it　first　becomes　a　practical　one。　　In　your

assumption　that　there　may　be　a　fair　decision　of　the　slavery

question　in　Kansas；　I　plainly　see　you　and　I　would　differ　about

the　Nebraska　law。　　I　look　upon　that　enactment　not　as　a　law；　but

as　a　violence　from　the　beginning。　　It　was　conceived　in　violence；

is　maintained　in　violence；　and　is　being　executed　in　violence。　　I

say　it　was　conceived　in　violence；　because　the　destruction　of　the

Missouri　Compromise；　under　the　circumstances；　was　nothing　less

than　violence。　　It　was　passed　in　violence　because　it　could　not

have　passed　at　all　but　for　the　votes　of　many　members　in　violence

of　the　known　will　of　their　constituents。　　It　is　maintained　in

violence；　because　the　elections　since　clearly　demand　its　repeal；

and　the　demand　is　openly　disregarded。



You　say　men　ought　to　be　hung　for　the　way　they　are　executing　the

law；　I　say　the　way　it　is　being　executed　is　quite　as　good　as　any

of　its　antecedents。　　It　is　being　executed　in　the　precise　way

which　was　intended　from　the　first；　else　why　does　no　Nebraska　man

express　astonishment　or　condemnation？　　Poor　Reeder　is　the　only

public　man　who　has　been　silly　enough　to　believe　that　anything

like　fairness　was　ever　intended；　and　he　has　been　bravely

undeceived。



That　Kansas　will　form　a　slave　constitution；　and　with　it　will　ask

to　be　admitted　into　the　Union；　I　take　to　be　already　a　settled

question；　and　so　settled　by　the　very　means　you　so　pointedly

condemn。　　By　every　principle　of　law　ever　held　by　any　court　North

or　South；　every　negro　taken　to　Kansas　is　free；　yet；　in　utter

disregard　of　this；in　the　spirit　of　violence　merely；that

beautiful　Legislature　gravely　passes　a　law　to　hang　any　man　who

shall　venture　to　inform　a　negro　of　his　legal　rights。　　This　is　the

subject　and　real　object　of　the　law。　　If；　like　Haman；　they　should

hang　upon　the　gallows　of　their　own　building；　I　shall　not　be　among

the　mourners　for　their　fate。　　In　my　humble　sphere；　I　shall

advocate　the　restoration　of　the　Missouri　Compromise　so　long　as

Kansas　remains　a　Territory；　and　when；　by　all　these　foul　means；　it

seeks　to　come　into　the　Union　as　a　slave　State；　I　shall　oppose　it。

I　am　very　loath　in　any　case　to　withhold　my　assent　to　the

enjoyment　of　property　acquired　or　located　in　good　faith；　but　I　do

not　admit　that　good　faith　in　taking　a　negro　to　Kansas　to　be　held

in　slavery　is　a　probability　with　any　man。　　Any　man　who　has　sense

enough　to　be　the　controller　of　his　own　property　has　too　much

sense　to　misunderstand　the　outrageous　character　of　the　whole

Nebraska　business。　　But　I　digress。　　In　my　opposition　to　the

admission　of　Kansas　I　shall　have　some　company；　but　we　may　be

beaten。　　If　we　are；　I　shall　not　on　that　account　attempt　to

dissolve　the　Union。　　I　think　it　probable；　however；　we　shall　be

beaten。　　Standing　as　a　unit　among　yourselves；　You　can；　directly

and　indirectly；　bribe　enough　of　our　men　to　carry　the　day；　as　you

could　on　the　open　proposition　to　establish　a　monarchy。　　Get　hold

of　some　man　in　the　North　whose　position　and　ability　is　such　that

he　can　make　the　support　of　your　measure；　whatever　it　may　be；　a

Democratic　party　necessity；　and　the　thing　is　done。　　Apropos　of

this；　let　me　tell　you　an　anecdote。　　Douglas　introduced　the

Nebraska　Bill　in　January。　　In　February　afterward　there　was　a

called　session　of　the　Illinois　Legislature。　　Of　the　one　hundred

members　composing　the　two　branches　of　that　body；　about　seventy

were　Democrats。　　These　latter　held　a　caucus　in　which　the　Nebraska

Bill　was　talked　of；　if　not　formally　discussed。　　It　was　thereby

discovered　that　just　three；　and　no　more；　were　in　favor　of　the

measure。　　In　a　day　or　two　Douglas's　orders　came　on　to　have

resolutions　passed　approving　the　bill；　and　they　were　passed　by

large　majorities！！！！　　　The　truth　of　this　is　vouched　for　by　a

bolting　Democratic　member。　　The　masses；　too；　Democratic　as　well

as　Whig；　were　even　nearer　unanimous　against　it；　but；　as　soon　as

the　party　necessity　of　supporting　it　became　apparent；　the　way　the

Democrats　began　to　see　the　wisdom　and　justice　of　it　was　perfectly

astonishing。



You　say　that　if　Kansas　fairly　votes　herself　a　free　State；　as　a

Christian　you　will　rejoice　at　it。　　All　decent　slaveholders　talk

that　way；　and　I　do　not　doubt　their　candor。　　But　they　never　vote

that　way。　　Although　in　a　private　letter　or　conversation　you　will

express　your　preference　that　Kansas　shall　be　free；　you　would　vote

for　no　man　for　Congress　who　would　say　the　same　thing　publicly。

No　such　man　could　be　elected　from　any　district　in　a　slave　State。

You　think　Stringfellow　and　company　ought　to　be　hung；　and　yet　at

the　next　Presidential　election　you　will　vote　for　the　exact　type

and　representative　of　Stringfellow。　　The　slave…breeders　and

slave…traders　are　a　small；　odious；　and　detested　class　among　you；

and　yet　in　politics　they　dictate　the　course　of　all　of　you；　and

are　as　completely　your　masters　as　you　are　the　master　of　your　own

negroes。　　You　inquire　where　I　now　stand。　　That　is　a　disputed

point。　　I　think　I　am　a　Whig；　but　others　say　there　are　no　Whigs；

and　that　I　am　an　Abolitionist。　　When　I　was　at　Washington；　I　voted

for　the　Wilmot　Proviso　as　good　as　forty　times；　and　I　never　heard

of　any　one　attempting　to　un…Whig　me　for　that。　　I　now　do　no　more

than　oppose　the　extension　of　slavery。　　I　am　not　a　Know…Nothing；

that　is　certain。　　How　could　I　be？　　How　can　any　one　who　abhors　the

oppression　of　negroes　be　in　favor　of　degrading　classes　of　white

people？　　Our　progress　in　degeneracy　appears　to　me　to　be　pretty

rapid。　　As　a　nation　we　began　by　declaring　that　〃all　men　are

created　equal。〃　We　now　practically　read　it　〃all　men　are　created

equal；　except　negroes。〃　When　the　Know…Nothings　get　control；　it

will　read　〃all　men　are　created　equal；　except　negroes　and

foreigners　and　Catholics。〃　When　it　comes　to　this；　I　shall　prefer

emigrating　to　some　country　where　they　make　no　pretense　of　loving

liberty；to　Russia；　for　instance；　where　despotism　can　be　taken

pure；　and　without　the　base　alloy　of　hypocrisy。



Mary　will　probably　pass　a　day　or　two　in　Louisville　in　October。

My　kindest　regards　to　Mrs。　　Speed。　　On　the　leading　subject　of

this　letter　I　have　more　of　her　sympathy　than　I　have　of　yours；　and

yet　let　me　say　I　am；



Your　friend　forever；



A。　LINCOLN。









1856





REQUEST　FOR　A　RAILWAY　PASS



TO　R。　P。　MORGAN



SPRINGFIELD；　February　13；　1856。



R。　P。　MORGAN；　ESQ。：



Says　Tom　to　John；　〃Here's　your　old　rotten　wheelbarrow。　　I've

broke　it　usin'　on　it。　　I　wish　you　would　mend　it；　'case　I　shall

want　to　borrow　it　this　arternoon。〃　　Acting　on　this　as　a

precedent；　I　say；　〃Here's　your　old　'chalked　hat；I　wish　you

would　take　it　and　send　me　a　new　one；　'case　I　shall　want　to　use　it

the　first　of　March。〃



Yours　truly；



A。　LINCOLN



（A　'chalked　hat'　was　the　common　term；　at　that　time；　for　a

railroad　pass。）









SPEECH　DELIVERED　BEFORE　THE　FIRST　REPUBLICAN

STATE　CONVENTION　OF　ILLINOIS；



HELD　AT　BLOOMINGTON；　ON　MAY　29；　1856。



＇From　the　Report　by　William　C。　　Whitney。＇



（Mr。　Whitney's　notes　were　made　at　the　time；　but　not　written　out

until　1896。　　He　does　not　claim　that　the　speech；　as　here　reported；

is　literally　correct　only　that　he　has　followed　the　argument；　and

that　in　many　cases　the　sentences　are　as　Mr。　Lincoln　spoke　them。）





Mr。　CHAIRMAN　AND　GENTLEMEN：　I　was　over　at　＇Cries　of　〃Platform！〃

〃Take　the　platform！〃＇I　say；　that　while　I　was　at　Danville　Court；

some　of　our　friends　of　Anti…Nebraska　got　together　in　Springfield

and　elected　me　as　one　delegate　to　represent　old　Sangamon　with

them　in　this　convention；　and　I　am　here　certainly　as　a　sympathizer

in　this　movement　and　by　virtue　of　that　meeting　and　selection。

But　we　can　hardly　be　called　delegates　strictly；　inasmuch　as；

properly　speaking；　we　represent　nobody　but　ourselves。　　I　think　it

altogether　fair　to　say　that　we　have　no　Anti…Nebraska　party　in

Sangamon；　although　there　is　a　good　deal　of　Anti…Nebraska　feeling

there；　but　I　say　for　myself；　and　I　think　I　may　speak　also　for　my

colleagues；　that　we　who　are　here　fully　approve　of　the　platform

and　of　all　that　has　been　done　＇A　voice；　〃Yes！；〃＇；　and　even　if　we

are　not　regularly　delegates；　it　will　be　right　for　me　to　answer

your　call　to　speak。　　I　suppose　we　truly　stand　for　the　public

sentiment　of　Sangamon　on　the　great　question　of　the　repeal；

although　we　do　not　yet　represent　many　numbers　who　have　taken　a

distinct　position　on　the　question。



We　are　in　a　trying　timeit　ranges　above　mere　partyand　this

movement　to　call　a　halt　and　turn　our　steps　backward　needs　all　the

help　and　good　counsels　it　can　get；　for　unless　popular　opinion

makes　itself　very　strongly　felt；　and　a　change　is　made　in　our

present　course；　blood　will　flow　on　account　of　Nebraska；　and

brother's　hands　will　be　raised　against　brother！



＇The　last　sentence　was　uttered　in　such　an　earnest；　impressive；　if

not；　indeed；　tragic；　manner；　as　to　make　a　cold　chill　creep　over

me。　　Others　gave　a　similar　experience。＇



I　have　listened　with　great　interest　to　the　earnest　appeal　made　to

Illinois　men　by　the　gentleman　from　Lawrence　＇James　S。　　Emery＇　who

has　just　addressed　us　so　eloquently　and　forcibly。　　I　was　deeply

moved　by　his　statement　of　the　wrongs　done　to　free…State　men　out

there。　　I　think　it　just　to　say　that　all　true　men　North　should

sympathize　with　them；　and　ought　to　be　willing　to　do　any　possible

and　needful　thing　to　right　their　wrongs。　　But　we　must　not　promise

what　we　ought　not；　lest　we　be　called　on　to　perform　what　we

cannot；　we　must　be　calm　and　moderate；　and　consider　the　whole

difficulty；　and　determine　what　is　possible　and　just。　　We　must　not

be　led　by　excitement　and　passion　to　do　that