The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1858-10-01
Negro Equai.sy Usea Up.

Lincoln in his debate with Douglas at
Charleston, knocks the wind out Of the negro
equality humbug in the following humorous
manner:
While Vas ct the hotel to-day an elderly
gentleman called upon me to know whether |
was really in favor Of producing a perfect
equality between the negroes and the white
people. Laughter.l While had not pro-
posed to myself on this occasion to say much
on that subject, yet - the question was asked
me, thought would occupy perhaps five
! minutes in saying something in regard to it.
will say then that am not, and never have
been in favor of bringing about in any way,
the social and political equality Of the white
and black races, Applause, that am not,
and never have been in favor OF making
voters and jurors of negroes, nor Of quail
| fying them to hold Office, nor to intermarry
with white people; and will say in addition
to this, that there is physical difference be
| tween the white and black races which
believe will forever forbid the two races liv-
| ing together on terms OF social and political
| equality. And inasmuoh as they cannot so
| live, while they do remain together there must
be the positions Of superior and inferior, /,
rs much Is any other man, am in favor Of
having the superior position assigned to the
whits race. say, upon this occasion, / do
not perceive that because the white man Is to
have the superior position, the negro should
| be denied everything. | do not understand
| that because / do not want . negro woman
for slave, 1 must necessarily want her for
wife. fCheers and laughter My under
standing Is that can just let her alone. !
am now in my fftieth year, and | certainly
never have had black woman for either .
slave or wife. So it seems to me quite pos
sible for us to get along without making
either slaves or wives OF negroes. will add
to this that have never seen to my knowledge
man, woman or child who was in favor OF
producing perfect equality, social and po-
litical, between negroes and white men.
rccollect Of but one distinguished instance
that ever heard Of so frequently az to be
entirely satisfied Of its correctness that
is the case Of Judge Douglass old friend,
Col. Richard NJ. johnson. daughter and
cheers.] will also add TO the few remarks
| have msds--for ] am not going to enter NJ
length upon this sabject-that have never
had the least apprehension that or my
friends would marry negroes, II there was no
law to keep them from IL; [but ~ Judge
Douglas and his friends seem to be in great
apprehension that they might, il there ware
no law to keep them from il, troars Of laugh
ter, give them the most solemn pledge that
| will 70 the very last stand by the law OF
this State, which forbids the marrying OF
white people with negroes. IContinusd laugh
ter and applause. / will add one further
word, which 10 this, that do not understand
there is any place where an alteration oil the
social and political relations Of the negro and
the white man can be obtained except in the
State Legislature in the Congress Of the
United States--and ~ do not really Appre-
bend the approach Of any such thing myself,
and as Judge Douglas seems to be in constant
horror that some such danger is rapidly ap-
proaching, propose, a. fhs best means 10
prenent Il, that the Judge b. kept at home
and placed tn the State Legisiaturs to fight
the measure. (Uproarious laughter and APP
plause.l