Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1857-08-21
Speech Of
HOn.ABRAHAM LINCOLN,

10n,ABkAHAM LiNCULN
} or ILLINOIS, "a NATIVE OF kENTucKY,)
, Delivered in the Hall of the House Of Reprsse,
taiires, Springfield, Ill.,, on the .6h June, 81
IN REPLY TO JUDGE DOUGLAS.
FELLOW CITIZENS: | am here to-nigh
partly by the invitation of some Of you, ant
partly by my own inclination. Two week
ago, Judge Douglas spoke here on the sew
eral subjects Of Kansas, the bred Scott &c
cision, and Utah. listened to the speecl
at the time, and have read the report o
it since. 1t was intended to controver
opinions which l think just, and to assai
POLITICALLY, not personality those mel
who, in common with me, entertain thos,
opinions. For this reason wished then
and still wish, to make some answer to it
begin with Utah. If it prove to be
true, as is probable, that the people Of
Utah are in open rebellion to the United
States, then Judge Douglas is in favor OF
repeating their territorial organization, and
attaching them to the adjoining States for
judicial purposes. l say, too, if they are
in rebellion, they ought to be somehow
coerced to obedience; and am not now
prepared to admit or deny that the Judges S
mode of coercing them is not as good as
any. The Republicans can fall in with it
without taking back anything they have
ever said. To be sure it would be con-
siderable backing down by Judge Douglas
from bis much vaunted doctrine of "selt:
gorernment for the territories :" but this is
only additional proof, of what was very
plain from the beginning, that that doc
trine was mere deceitful pretence for the
benefit of slavery. Those who could not
see that much in the Nebraska act itself,
which forced Governors, and Secretaries,
and Juaiges on the people of the Territories,
riLtoM their choice or consent, could not be
made to see, though one should rise from
the dead to testify.
DOUGLAS DODGEs.
But in all this,i it is very plain the Judge
evades the only question the Republicans
have ever pressed upon the Democracy in
regard to Utah. That question the Judge
well kncws to be this: "If the people of
Utah shall peacefully form State Cousti-
tuition tolerating polygamy, will the De-
mocracy admit them into the Union ?"
There is nothing in the United States Con-
stitution or law against polygamy and
why is it not paft Of the judges "sacred
right of selfgovernment" for that people
to have it, or rather to keep it, if they
choose? These questions,s so far as l know,
sLe Jades never a.sSe-a IL r~;eht ;-
volve the Democracy to answer them either
,cay, aud they 60 unanswered.
KANSAS AFFAIRS.
As to Kansas. The substance of the
Judges speech ON Kansas is an effort to
put the free State men in the wrong for
not voting at the election of delegates to
the Constitutional Convention. He says ;,
"7here is every reason to LelieUe that the
lap ,cM be fairly Interpreted and impartial
y erecutei, so as to insure to eUery bona
file inhabitant the free and quiet exercise
Of the eiectise franchise"
WHAT DOUOLAS ANEW AMI UlDN IELL.
1t appears extraordinary that Judge
Douglas should make such statement.
He knows that, by the law, no one can
vote who has not been registered and be
knows that the free State men place their
refusal to vote on the ground that but few
of them have been registered. 1t is possi-
Jle this is is not true, but Judge Douglas |
knows it is asserted to be true in letters,
and public speeches, and borne
by every mail, ard blown by every breeze
to the eyes and ears of the world. lie
knows it is boldly declared that the people
Of many whole counties, and many whole
in others, are left unrcgls-
tered !; yet he does not venture to contra
dict the declaration, nor to point out how
they can vote without being registered
but he just slips along, not seeming to
know there is any such question of fact,
and complaccntly declares, There is every
reason to hope and believe that the law
will be fairly and impartia!ly executed, so
rs to insure to every bona tide inhabitant
the free and quiet exercise Of the elective
franchise p
readily agree that if all had a chance
to vote, they ought to have voted. If, on
The contrary, as they allege, and Judge
Douglas ventures not to particularly con-
tradict, tew only Of the free State men had
I chance to cote, they were perfectly right
IN staying away from the polls in body.
GREE STATE DEMOCRATS"
Since the Judge spoke, the Kansas elec-
ion has come Of. The Judge expressed
his confidence that all the Democrats in
Kansas would do their duty-including
free State Democrats" of course. The
eturns received as yet are very incomplete;
,ut SO far as known, they indicate that
lot onethird Of the registered voters, have
eally voted !; and, too, when not more,
perhaps, than one half Of the rightful vo-
ers have been registered, thus showing the
hing to have been altogether the most ex-
Iuisite farce ever enacted. am watching
With considerable Interest, to ascertain what
igure the "tree State Democrats" cut in
be concern. OF course they voted-all
Democrats do their duty-and Of course
hey did not vote for slave State canei- :
ates We soon shall know how many ,
elegates they elected, how many candi- ,