The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1858-08-12


ing the nomination Of the Republican con.
vention, went into long argument to prove
that the Judges of the Supreme Court,
President Buchanan, President Pierce, and
myself, had entered into q conspiracy to
overturn the Constitution of the coun.
try, and establish slavery throughout the
Republic. read that speech and replied
to it at Chicago, and never noticed the
charge. also replied to it at Blooming.
ton and Springfield, and never noticed the
charge. About week ago, Mr.. Lincoln
made another speech at Springfield, in which
be called my attention to tho fact that he
had made such charge, and said that |
had never attempted to deny it. Iquote
from his speech
81 charged that the people had been de-
ceived in carrying the last Presidential cleo
ton by the impression that the people Of a
Territory might exclude slavery il they
chose, when it was known in advance by
the conspirators that the court was TO de-
eide that neither Congress nor the people
could so exclude slavery These charges
are more distinctly made than anything else
in the speech.
Judge Douglas has carefully read and
re-read that speech. lie has not, so far as
know, contradicted those charges In
the two speeches which heard he certainly
did not. On his own tacit admission re-
new that charge. charge him with hav.
ing been party to that conspiracy and to
that deception, for the sole purpose Of ma
tionalizing slavery"
did not answer this charge before for
this reason did not suppose there was u
man in America whose heart was 50 corrupt
as for an instant to believe that such u
charge could be true. ! did not think that
any man in America believed that Chief
Justice Taney and his associates on the su.
preme bench, and two Presidents Of the
United States. to say nothing of myself,
cOald be guilty Of conspiracy involving
such turpitude and such iniamy. had too
much respect for Mr.. Lincoln to suppose
that be was serious in making the charge.
He says now that he did not know that the
charge was true when he made 1t; then
ask why make such q CHARGE | remind
him that there is as much corruption in
making charge without knowing It to be
true as there is in making one and knowing
it to be false. II is as dishonest to charge
that which you do not know TO be true, as
it is to tell an open lie and yet he now
confesses that he made that charge against
the Judges Of the Supreme Court, two
Presidents of the United States, and my.
self, without knowing whether il was true
or false. Mr.. Lincoln can lay down that
rule OF action for himself 10 his conduct to-
ward others which he thinks proper, but |
should deem that | had forfeited my charac-
ter as an honorable man, if should make a
charge against him Of moral turpitude with
out knowing il was true at the time
made it,
But | will answer the charge now. He
says that he renews it on my Own tact ad.
mission. Because treated ii with silent
contempt be dared TO repeat it. ! will now
give him an answer that will relieve him Of
the privilege Of ever repeating il again. ]
say to you, 10 him, 10 bis friends, and to the
whole world, that the charge is false, deaf
ening cheers) in all It's bearings. say that
the charge in all its bearings, specifications
and particulars, is infamously false. ('liit
him again" "set EN- up again, and renewed
applause | will go further ! say here,
that up to this day and hour ! never ex.
changed word with Chief Justice fancy
or any one member Of the supreme bench
about the Dred Scott decision in my life,
e ther before or after it was rendered. !
never exchanged a word with President
Pierce on the subject, either before or after
the decision was rendered, or did ! exchange
a word with President Buchanan upon it
il until long after il was made. Hence
there is no pretext whatsoever for any such
imputation. will show you that Mr. Lin
coin ought 10 have known that the charge
was false when be made il against me, and
when he renewed it. And Why He
charges in his frs, speech that this conspi-
racy began with the Nebraska bill, and that
the introduction Of ,ha, bill was my part 10
the conspiracy. He ought to have known
az the records OF the country prove, that at
the time Of the passage Of the Nebraska
bill the Dred Scott case had not yet been
taken up 10 the Supreme Court Il wa
still pending in the district courts Of Ms
souri,. II had been begun by Dred scott
and We had not possession OF him because
he was in the hands OF his abolition friends.
(IAughter) Mr.. Lincoln, "A an abolition
is,. night have known that II Dred scott
lost bis case in the district courts Of Mis-oa-
ri. tina, he intended TO appeal 10 the so
preme Court Of the United States bot
never did, and had no means Of knowing the
fact. Thi. cae did not 90 into the So
preme Cour, until year after the NebrS
ka bill passed, and Mr.. Lincoln charges that
tina, court. tao Presidens Of the United
States. and myself, entered into this corrupt
conspiracy 10 1854, one year rs'ofe the
Supreme Court had any kno"Iedge o. hs
e1i.;ence, in order. by the decis'oo IN that
cas-. and tbe NebraskA bill, 70 establish
slavery al over the country. President
Buchanan is charged as beng party To
tbs conspi scy. does 20, Mr. Loooln kno.