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on　the　other　hand；　if　there　be　any　man　in　the　Republican　party　who　is

impatient　over　the　necessity　springing　from　its　actual　presence；　and

is　impatient　of　the　constitutional　guaranties　thrown　around　it；　and

would　act　in　disregard　of　these；　he　too　is　misplaced；　standing　with

us。　　He　will　find　his　place　somewhere　else；　for　we　have　a　due　regard；

so　far　as　we　are　capable　of　understanding　them；　for　all　these　things。

This；　gentlemen；　as　well　as　I　can　give　it；　is　a　plain　statement　of

our　principles　in　all　their　enormity。

I　will　say　now　that　there　is　a　sentiment　in　the　country　contrary　to

me；a　sentiment　which　holds　that　slavery　is　not　wrong；　and　therefore

it　goes　for　the　policy　that　does　not　propose　dealing　with　it　as　a

wrong。　　That　policy　is　the　Democratic　policy；　and　that　sentiment　is

the　Democratic　sentiment。　　If　there　be　a　doubt　in　the　mind　of　any　one

of　this　vast　audience　that　this　is　really　the　central　idea　of　the

Democratic　party　in　relation　to　this　subject；　I　ask　him　to　bear　with

me　while　I　state　a　few　things　tending；　as　I　think；　to　prove　that

proposition。　　In　the　first　place；　the　leading　manI　think　I　may　do

my　friend　Judge　Douglas　the　honor　of　calling　him　such　advocating　the

present　Democratic　policy　never　himself　says　it　is　wrong。　　He　has　the

high　distinction；　so　far　as　I　know；　of　never　having　said　slavery　is

either　right　or　wrong。　　Almost　everybody　else　says　one　or　the　other；

but　the　Judge　never　does。　　If　there　be　a　man　in　the　Democratic　party

who　thinks　it　is　wrong；　and　yet　clings　to　that　party；　I　suggest　to

him；　in　the　first　place；　that　his　leader　don't　talk　as　he　does；　for

he　never　says　that　it　is　wrong。　　In　the　second　place；　I　suggest　to

him　that　if　he　will　examine　the　policy　proposed　to　be　carried

forward；　he　will　find　that　he　carefully　excludes　the　idea　that　there

is　anything　wrong　in　it。　　If　you　will　examine　the　arguments　that　are

made　on　it；　you　will　find　that　every　one　carefully　excludes　the　idea

that　there　is　anything　wrong　in　slavery。　　Perhaps　that　Democrat　who

says　he　is　as　much　opposed　to　slavery　as　I　am　will　tell　me　that　I　am

wrong　about　this。　　I　wish　him　to　examine　his　own　course　in　regard　to

this　matter　a　moment；　and　then　see　if　his　opinion　will　not　be　changed

a　little。　　You　say　it　is　wrong；　but　don't　you　constantly　object　to

anybody　else　saying　so？　　Do　you　not　constantly　argue　that　this　is　not

the　right　place　to　oppose　it？　　You　say　it　must　not　be　opposed　in　the

free　States；　because　slavery　is　not　here；　it　must　not　be　opposed　in

the　slave　States；　because　it　is　there；　it　must　not　be　opposed　in

politics；　because　that　will　make　a　fuss；　it　must　not　be　opposed　in

the　pulpit；　because　it　is　not　religion。　　Then　where　is　the　place　to

oppose　it？　　There　is　no　suitable　place　to　oppose　it。　　There　is　no

place　in　the　country　to　oppose　this　evil　overspreading　the　continent；

which　you　say　yourself　is　coming。　　Frank　Blair　and　Gratz　Brown　tried

to　get　up　a　system　of　gradual　emancipation　in　Missouri；　had　an

election　in　August；　and　got　beat；　and　you；　Mr。　Democrat；　threw　up

your　hat；　and　hallooed　〃Hurrah　for　Democracy！〃　So　I　say；　again；　that

in　regard　to　the　arguments　that　are　made；　when　Judge　Douglas　Says　he

〃don't　care　whether　slavery　is　voted　up　or　voted　down；〃　whether　he

means　that　as　an　individual　expression　of　sentiment；　or　only　as　a

sort　of　statement　of　his　views　on　national　policy；　it　is　alike　true

to　say　that　he　can　thus　argue　logically　if　he　don't　see　anything

wrong　in　it；　but　he　cannot　say　so　logically　if　he　admits　that　slavery

is　wrong。　　He　cannot　say　that　he　would　as　soon　see　a　wrong　voted　up

as　voted　down。　　When　Judge　Douglas　says　that　whoever　or　whatever

community　wants　slaves；　they　have　a　right　to　have　them；　he　is

perfectly　logical；　if　there　is　nothing　wrong　in　the　institution；　but

if　you　admit　that　it　is　wrong；　he　cannot　logically　say　that　anybody

has　a　right　to　do　wrong。　　When　he　says　that　slave　property　and　horse

and　hog　property　are　alike　to　be　allowed　to　go　into　the　Territories；

upon　the　principles　of　equality；　he　is　reasoning　truly；　if　there　is

no　difference　between　them　as　property；　but　if　the　one　is　property

held　rightfully；　and　the　other　is　wrong；　then　there　is　no　equality

between　the　right　and　wrong；　so　that；　turn　it　in　anyway　you　can；　in

all　the　arguments　sustaining　the　Democratic　policy；　and　in　that

policy　itself；　there　is　a　careful；　studied　exclusion　of　the　idea　that

there　is　anything　wrong　in　slavery。　　Let　us　understand　this。　　I　am

not；　just　here；　trying　to　prove　that　we　are　right；　and　they　are

wrong。　　I　have　been　stating　where　we　and　they　stand；　and　trying　to

show　what　is　the　real　difference　between　us；　and　I　now　say　that

whenever　we　can　get　the　question　distinctly　stated；　can　get　all　these

men　who　believe　that　slavery　is　in　some　of　these　respects　wrong　to

stand　and　act　with　us　in　treating　it　as　a　wrong；then；　and　not　till

then；　I　think　we　will　in　some　way　come　to　an　end　of　this　slavery

agitation。









Mr。　LINCOLN'S　REJOINDER。



MY　FRIENDS：Since　Judge　Douglas　has　said　to　you　in　his　conclusion

that　he　had　not　time　in　an　hour　and　a　half　to　answer　all　I　had　said

in　an　hour；　it　follows　of　course　that　I　will　not　be　able　to　answer　in

half　an　hour　all　that　he　said　in　an　hour　and　a　half。



I　wish　to　return　to　Judge　Douglas　my　profound　thanks　for　his　public

annunciation　here　to…day；　to　be　put　on　record；　that　his　system　of

policy　in　regard　to　the　institution　of　slavery　contemplates　that　it

shall　last　forever。　　We　are　getting　a　little　nearer　the　true　issue　of

this　controversy；　and　I　am　profoundly　grateful　for　this　one　sentence。

Judge　Douglas　asks　you；　Why　cannot　the　institution　of　slavery；　or

rather；　why　cannot　the　nation；　part　slave　and　part　free；　continue　as

our　fathers　made　it；　forever？　　In　the　first　place；　I　insist　that　our

fathers　did　not　make　this　nation　half　slave　and　half　free；　or　part

slave　and　part　free。　　I　insist　that　they　found　the　institution　of

slavery　existing　here。　　They　did　not　make　it　so　but　they　left　it　so

because　they　knew　of　no　way　to　get　rid　of　it　at　that　time。　　When

Judge　Douglas　undertakes　to　say　that；　as　a　matter　of　choice；　the

fathers　of　the　government　made　this　nation　part　slave　and　part　free；

he　assumes　what　is　historically　a　falsehood。　　More　than　that：　when

the　fathers　of　the　government　cut　off　the　source　of　slavery　by　the

abolition　of　the　slave…trade；　and　adopted　a　system　of　restricting　it

from　the　new　Territories　where　it　had　not　existed；　I　maintain　that

they　placed　it　where　they　understood；　and　all　sensible　men

understood；　it　was　in　the　course　of　ultimate　extinction；　and　when

Judge　Douglas　asks　me　why　it　cannot　continue　as　our　fathers　made　it；

I　ask　him　why　he　and　his　friends　could　not　let　it　remain　as　our

fathers　made　it？



It　is　precisely　all　I　ask　of　him　in　relation　to　the　institution　of

slavery；　that　it　shall　be　placed　upon　the　basis　that　our　fathers

placed　it　upon。　　Mr。　Brooks；　of　South　Carolina；　once　said；　and　truly

said；　that　when　this　government　was　established；　no　one　expected　the

institution　of　slavery　to　last　until　this　day；　and　that　the　men　who

formed　this　government　were　wiser　and　better　than　the　men　of　these

days；　but　the　men　of　these　days　had　experience　which　the　fathers　had

not；　and　that　experience　had　taught　them　the　invention　of　the

cotton…gin；　and　this　had　made　the　perpetuation　of　the　institution　of

slavery　a　necessity　in　this　country。　　Judge　Douglas　could　not　let　it

stand　upon　the　basis　which　our　fathers　placed　it；　but　removed　it；　and

put　it　upon　the　cotton…gin　basis。　　It　is　a　question；　therefore；　for

him　and　his　friends　to　answer；　why　they　could　not　let　it　remain　where

the　fathers　of　the　government　originally　placed　it。　　I　hope　nobody

has　understood　me　as　trying　to　sustain　the　doctrine　that　we　have　a

right　to　quarrel　with　Kentucky；　or　Virginia；　or　any　of　the　slave

States；　about　the　institution　of　slavery；thus　giving　the　Judge　an

opportunity　to　be　eloquent　and　valiant　against　us　in　fighting　for

their　rights。　　I　expressly　declared　in　my　opening　speech　that　I　had

neither　the　inclination　to　exercise；　nor　the　belief　in　the　existence

of；　the　right　to　interfere　with　the　States　of　Kentucky　or　Virginia　in

doing　as　they　pleased　with　slavery　Or　any　other　existing　institution。

Then　what　becomes　of　all　his　eloquence　in　behalf　of　the　rights　of

States；　which　are　assailed　by　no　living　man？



But　I　have　to　hurry　on；　for　I　have　but　a　half　hour。　　The　Judge　has

informed　me；　or　informed　this　audience；　that　the　Washington　Union　is

laboring　for　my　election　to　the　United　States　Senate。　　This　is　news

to　me；not　very　ungrateful　news　either。　　＇Turning　to　Mr。　W。　　H。

Carlin；　who　was　on　the　stand＇I　hope　that　Carlin　will　be　elected　to

the　State　Senate；　and　will　vote　for　me。　　＇Mr。　Carlin　shook　his　head。＇

Carlin　don't　fall　in；　I　perceive；　and　I　suppose　he　will　not　do　much

for　me；　but　I　am　glad　of　all　the　support　I　can　get；　anywhere；　if　I

can　get　it　without　practicing　any　deception　to　obtain　it。　　In　respect

to　this　large　portion　of　Judge　Douglas's　speech　in　which　he　tries　to

show　that　in　the　controversy　between　himself　and　the　Administration

party　he　is　in　the　right；　I　do　not　feel　myself　at　all　competent　or

inclined　to　answer　him。　　I　say　to　him；　〃Give　it　to　them；give　it　to

them　just　all　you　can！〃　and；　on　the　other　hand；　I　say　to　Carlin；　and

Jake　Davis；　and　to　this　man　Wogley　up　here　in　Hancock；　〃Give　it　to

Douglas；　just　pour　it　into　him！



Now；　in　regard　to　this　matter　of　the　Dred　Scott　decision；　I　wish　to

say　a　word　or　two。　　After　all；　the　Judge　will　not　say　whether；　if　a

decision　is　made　holding　that　the　people　of　the　States　cannot　exclude

slavery；　he　will　support　it　or　not。　　He　obstinately　refuses　to　say

what　he　will　do　in　that　case。　　The　judges　of　the　Supreme　Court　as

obstinately　refused　to　say　what　they　would　do　on　this　subject。

Before　this　I　reminded　him　that　at　Galesburgh　he　said　the　judges　had

expressly　declared　the　contrary；　and　you　rememb