the life of stephen a. douglas-第26部分

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abstract　question；　still　the　right　of　the　people　to　make　a　slave　Territory　or　a　free　Territory；　is　perfect　and　complete　under　the　Nebraska　bill。〃

This　bill　provided　that　the　legislative　power　of　the　Territory　should　extend　to　all　rightful　subjects　of　legislation。　　It　made　no　exception　as　to　slavery；　but　gave　full　power　to　introduce　or　exclude　it。　　What　more　could　Chase's　amendment　do？　　Chase　offered　it　for　the　purpose　of　having　it　rejected。　　He　expected　it　to　be　capital　for　small　politicians；　and　he　was　not　mistaken。　　He　was　amazed　that　Lincoln　should　ask　his　third　question。　　He　had　denounced　in　the　Senate　an　article　in　the　Washington　Union　claiming　that　any　provision　in　the　laws　or　Constitutions　of　the　free　States　excluding　slavery　was　in　conflict　with　the　Constitution　of　the　United　States。　Senator　Toombs；　on　behalf　of　the　South；　had　utterly　repudiated　the　doctrine。　　The　question　cast　an　imputation　upon　the　Supreme　Court。　Such　a　decision　was　not　possible。　　It　would　be　an　act　of　moral　treason　that　no　man　on　the　bench　could　ever　descend　to。

〃As　to　Lincoln's　fourth　question；〃　he　said：　　〃I　answer；　that　whenever　it　becomes　necessary　in　our　growth　and　progress　to　acquire　more　territory；　I　am　in　favor　of　it　without　reference　to　the　question　of　slavery；　and　when　we　have　acquired　it　I　would　leave　the　people　free　to　do　as　they　please；　either　to　make　it　slave　or　free　territory　as　they　preferred。　　*　*　*　I　tell　you；　increase；　multiply　and　expand　is　the　law　of　this　Nation's　existence。　　*　*　*　Just　as　fast　as　our　interests　and　our　destiny　require　additional　territory　in　the　North；　in　the　South　or　on　the　islands　of　the　ocean；　I　am　for　it；　and；　when　we　acquire　it；　will　leave　the　people　*　*　*　free　to　do　as　they　please　on　the　question　of　slavery　and　every　other　question。〃

At　all　the　Republican　Congressional　Conventions　held　in　Illinois　in　1854；　the　resolutions　adopted　declared　that　the　continued　aggressions　of　slavery　were　destructive　of　the　best　rights　of　a　free　people　and　must　be　resisted　by　the　united　political　action　of　all　good　men；　Kansas　and　Nebraska　must　be　made　free　Territories；　the　Fugitive　Slave　Law　repealed；　slavery　restricted　to　the　States　in　which　it　then　existed；　no　more　slave　States　admitted；　slavery　excluded　from　the　Territories　and　no　more　Territories　acquired　unless　slavery　therein　were　prohibited；　and　no　man　must　be　supported　for　office　unless　positively　pledged　to　support　these　principles。

〃Yet　Lincoln　denies　that　he　stands　on　this　platform　and　declares　that　he　would　not　like　to　be　placed　in　a　position　where　he　would　have　to　vote　for　these　things。　　*　*　*　I　do　not　think　there　is　much　danger　of　his　being　placed　in　such　a　position。　　*　*　*　I　propose；　out　of　mere　kindness；　to　relieve　him　from　any　such　necessity。〃

When　the　legislature　elected　in　1854　came　to　choose　between　Lincoln　and　Trumbull　for　Senator；　before　a　ballot　was　taken；　Lovejoy；　the　Abolitionist　introduced　resolutions　declaring　that　slavery　must　be　excluded　from　all　the　territory　then　owned　or　thereafter　acquired　by　the　United　States；　that　no　more　slave　States　should　be　admitted　and　that　the　Fugitive　Slave　Law　should　be　unconditionally　repealed。　On　the　following　day　every　man　who　had　voted　for　these　resolutions；　with　two　exceptions；　voted　for　Lincoln。　　Members　so　voting　were　all　pledged　to　vote　for　no　man　who　was　not　pledged　to　support　their　platform。　　〃Either　Lincoln　was　committed　to　these　propositions；　or　your　members　violated　their　faith。　　Take　either　horn　of　the　dilemma　you　choose。　　There　is　no　dodging　the　question；　I　want　Lincoln's　answer。　　He　is　altogether　undecided　on　these　grave　questions　and　does　not　know　what　to　think　or　do。　　If　elected　Senator　he　will　have　to　decide。　　Do　not　put　him　in　a　position　that　would　embarrass　him　so　much。　　He　does　not　know　whether　he　would　vote　for　the　admission　of　more　slave　States；　yet　he　has　declared　his　belief　that　this　Union　cannot　endure　with　slave　States　in　it。　　I　do　not　think　that　the　people　of　Illinois　desire　a　man　to　represent　them　who　would　like　to　be　put　to　the　test　on　the　performance　of　a　high　constitutional　duty。

〃I　will　retire　in　shame　from　the　Senate　of　the　United　States　when　I　am　not　willing　to　be　put　to　the　test　in　the　performance　of　my　duty。　I　have　been　put　to　severe　tests。　　I　have　stood　by　my　principles　in　fair　weather　and　foul；　in　the　sunshine　and　in　the　rain。　　I　have　defended　the　great　principles　of　self…government　here　among　you　when　Northern　sentiment　ran　in　a　torrent　against　me；　and　I　have　defended　that　same　great　principle　when　Southern　sentiment　came　down　like　an　avalanche　upon　me。　　I　was　not　afraid　of　any　test　they　put　me　to。　　I　knew　my　principles　were　right；　I　knew　my　principles　were　sound；　I　knew　that　the　people　would　see　in　the　end　hat　I　had　done　right　and　I　knew　that　the　God　of　heaven　would　smile　upon　me　if　I　was　faithful　in　the　performance　of　my　duty。　　*　*　*

At　the　time　the　Nebraska　bill　was　introduced；　Lincoln　says　there　was　a　conspiracy　between　the　Judges　of　the　Supreme　Court；　President　Pierce；　President　Buchanan　and　myself；　that　bill　and　the　decision　of　the　court　to　break　down　the　barriers　and　establish　slavery　all　over　the　Union。　　*　*　*

〃Mr。　Buchanan　was　at　that　time　in　England　and　did　not　return　for　a　year　or　more　after。　　That　fact　proves　the　charge　to　be　false　as　against　him。　　*　*　*　The　Dred　Scott　case　was　not　then　before　the　Supreme　Court　at　all；　*　*　*　*　and　the　Judges　in　all　probability　knew　nothing　of　it。　　*　*　*　*　As　to　President　Pierce；　his　high　character　as　a　man　of　integrity　and　honor　is　enough　to　vindicate　him　from　such　a　charge；　and　as　to　myself　I　pronounce　the　charge　an　infamous　lie　whenever　and　wherever　made　and　by　whomsoever　made。〃

Lincoln　closed　the　debate。　　As　to　the　discrepancy　between　the　various　Republican　resolutions　adopted　in　local　conventions　in　1854　and　the　views　stated　in　his　opening　speech；　he　said　that　at　the　beginning　of　the　Nebraska　agitation　a　new　era　in　American　politics　began。

〃In　our　opposition　to　that　measure　we　did　not　agree　with　one　another　in　everything。　　*　*　*　*　These　meetings　which　the　Judge　has　alluded　to　and　the　resolutions　he　has　read　from　were　local。　　*　*　*　We　at　last　met　together　in　1856　from　all　parts　of　the　State　and　agreed　upon　a　common　platform。　　*　*　*　We　agreed　then　upon　a　platform　for　the　party　throughout　the　entire　State　and　now　we　are　all　bound　to　that　platform。　　*　*　*　If　any　one　expects　that　I　will　do　anything　not　signified　by　our　Republican　platform　and　my　answers　here　to…day；　I　will　tell　you　very　frankly　that　person　will　be　deceived。　　I　do　not　ask　for　the　vote　of　anyone　who　supposes　that　I　have　secret　purposes　or　pledges　that　I　dare　not　speak　out。　　*　*　*　Douglas　says　if　I　should　vote　for　the　admission　of　a　slave　State　I　would　be　voting　for　the　dissolution　of　the　Union；　because　I　hold　that　the　Union　cannot　permanently　exist　half　slave　and　half　free。　　*　*　*　It　does　not　at　all　follow　that　the　admission　of　a　single　slave　State　will　permanently　fix　the　character　and　establish　this　as　a　universal　slave　Nation。〃

In　March；　1856；　Douglas；　speaking　in　the　Senate　upon　an　article　published；　apparently　by　authority；　in　the　Washington　Union；　the　organ　of　the　Administration；　charged　a　conspiracy　between　the　President；　his　cabinet　and　the　Lecompton　Convention　to　establish　the　proposition　that　all　State　laws　and　Constitutions；　which　prohibited　the　citizens　of　one　State　from　settling　in　another　with　their　slave　property；　were　violations　of　the　Constitution　of　the　United　States。　　He　declared　that　a　fatal　blow　was　being　struck　at　the　sovereignty　of　the　States。　　Charges　of　conspiracy　were　not　entirely　unheard　of　when　the　one　was　made　at　Springfield　so　sharply　condemned　by　Douglas。

〃But　his　eye　is　farther　South　now　than　it　was　last　March。　　His　hope　then　rested　on　the　idea　of　visiting　the　great　black　Republican　party　and　making　it　the　tail　of　his　new　kite。　　He　was　then　expected　from　day　to　day　to　turn　Republican　and　place　himself　at　the　head　of　our　organization。　　He　has　found　that　these　despised　black　Republicans　estimate　him；　by　a　standard　which　he　has　taught　them；　none　to　well。　　Hence　he　is　crawling　back　into　the　old　camp　and　you　will　find　him　eventually　installed　in　full　fellowship　among　those　whom　he　was　then　battling　and　with　whom　he　still　pretends　to　be　at　such　fearful　variance。〃

There　is　an　interesting　and　well　authenticated　tradition；　perhaps　too　strongly　established　to　be　questioned；　that　Lincoln's　second　interrogatory　was　designed　as　a　snare　for　Douglas　and　that　he　was　forced　by　it　to　proclaim　his　unfortunate　doctrine　of　unfriendly　legislation；　which　gave　such　deep　offense　to　the　South。　　It　is　related　on　the　highest　authority　that　on　the　night　before　the　Freeport　debate；　〃Lincoln　was　catching　a　few　hours'　rest　at　a　railroad　center　named　Mendota；　to　which　place　the　converging　trains　brought；　after　midnight；　a　number　of　excited　Republican　leaders　on　their　way　to　attend　the　great　meeting　at　the　neighboring　town　of　Freeport。　　*　*　*　*　Lincoln's　bedroom　was　invaded　by　an　improvised　caucus；　and　the　ominous　question　was　once　more　brought　under　consideration。　The　whole　drift　of　advice　ran　against　putting　the　interrogatory　（number　two）　to　Douglas；　but　Lincoln　persisted　in　his　determination　to　force　him　to　answer　it。　　Finally　his　friends　in　a　chorus　cried：　'If　you　do；　you　can　never　be　Senator。'

〃'Gentlemen；'　replied　Lincoln；　'I　am　killing　larger　game。　　If　Douglas　answers；　he　can　never　be　President；　and　the　battle　of　1860　is　worth　a　hundred　of　this。'〃

Whatever　may　be　the　truth　as　to　the　Mendota　conference；　it　is　unjust　to　Douglas　to　say　that　he　was　surprised　by　the　question；　or　that　his　answer　was　a　mere　extemporized　feat　of　ingenuity　to　meet　an　embarrassing　exigency。　　Long　before　this　and　on　many　occasions　he　had　announced　his　opinion　that　the　people　of　a　Territory　could　by　unfriendly　legislation；　in　defiance　of　the　Constitution；　the　Supreme　Court　and　Congress；　effectually　prevent　slavery　among　themselves。　It　was　one　of　his　most　deliberately　formed；　openly　avowed　and　widely　known　opinions。　　It　is　incredible　that　Lincoln　and　his　advisors　were　in　doubt　how　he　would　answer　the　question。　　Whatever　may　be　our　view　of　the　soundness　of　his　doctrine；　it　is　not　just　to　the　ablest　debater　and　foremost　statesman　of　the　time　to　say　that　he　was　taken