Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1860-11-30
Lincoln on the Fire-Eaters.

the question of exciting the Cotton States,
but the exact nature of their demands, and
what only will satisfy them. Let every
man read carefully and ponder well his
words. They cover the whole question
at issue between the Free and Slave labor
sections:
FEW WORDS NOW TO REPUBLICANS
A few words now to Republicans. It is
exceedingly desirable that all parts of this
great Confederacy shall be at peace, and
in harmony, one with another. Let US Re-
publlcans do our part to have it so. Even
though much provoked, let us do nothing
through passion or i'll temper. Even though
the Southern people will not so much as
listen to US, let US calmly consider their de-
mands, and yield to them if, in our DELHI
crate view of our duty, we possibly CAN
Judging by all they say and do, and by
the subject and nature of their controversy
with us, let US determine, if we can, what
will satisfy them? Will they be satisfied
If the Territories be Internationally sur
rendered to them? We know they will
not. In all their present complaints against
US, the Territories are scarcely mentioned.
lnvasions and Instructions are the rage
now VIII it satisfy them if, in the future,
we have nothing to do with invasions and
instructions? We know it will not We
so know because we know we never had
anything to do with invasions and insur-
rections; and yet this total abstaning does
not exempt US from the charge and the de-
nunclatlon- The question recurs, what
will satisfy them -? Simply this We must
not only let them alone, but must, some
how. convince them that we do let them
alone, This We know by experience. is no
easy talk. We have been so trying to
convince them, from the very beginning of
our organization, but with no success. In
all our platforms and speeches, we have
constantly protested our purpose to let
them alone but this has had no tendency
to convince them. Alike unavailing to
convince them is the fact that they have
never detected a man of us in any attempt
to disturb them. These natural and ap-
parently adequate means all falling, what
will convince them? This, and this only
cease to-cat slarery acrong, and join them IN
calling 1t right. And this must be done
thoroughly-done in acts as we'll as in
words. Silence will not be tolerated-we
must place ourselves a7owedly with them.
Dougfds's near seczation lac mast be enacted
and enforced, Suppressing all declarations
that Slavery as acrong, arhether made IN politics.
an presses, inpuIpits or an prioate We must
arrest and return their fugitive slaves with
greedy pleasure. We must pull down our
Free State Constitutions. The whole at
mosphere must be disinfected from all faint
Of opposition to slavery, before they will
cease to believe that all their troubles pro-
ceed from US.
I am quite aware they do not see their
case precisely in this way. Most of them
would probably say to US, "let us alone,
do nothing to US, and say what you please
about slavery
But we do let them alone-have never
| disturbed them-so that, after all, it is
what we say, which dissatisfes them. They
will continue to accuse us Of doing until we
! cease saying.
am also aware they have not, as yet,
in terms, demanded the overthrow of our
free State Constitutions. Yet those Con-
stitntions declare the 'rron9 If slareru. with
more solemn emphasis, than do all other
sayings against it !; and when all these say
ings shall have been silenced, the ouerthroao
Of these Constitutions aolU be demanded, and
nothing be left to resist the demand. It is
nothing to the contrary, that they do not
demand the whole of it just now. De-
handing what they do, and for the reason
they do, they can voluntarily stop nowhere
short of this consummation Holding, as
they do, that SLAVERY as morally right, and
socially elevating. they cannot cease to de-
mand full national recognition of it, as a
local right. and social blessing.
Nor can we justifably withhold this, on
any ground, save our conviction that sla-'
very is a0rong. If slavery is right, all words,
acts, laws and Constitutions against it are
Themselves urong, and should be slenced,
and swept away. If it is right, we cannot
justly object to its nationality-its univers-
atty; if it is wrong, they cannot justly in
sist upon its extension-its enlargement
All they ask we could readily grant, if we
thought slavery right all we ask, they
could as readily grant, if they thought it
wrong. Their thinking it right and our
thinking it wrong, is the precise fact upon
which depends the whole controversy
Thinking it right, as they do, they are not
to blame for desiring its full recognition,
as being right; but thinking it wrong, as
we do, can we yield to them? Can we cast
our votes with their view, and against our
own? In view of our moral social and po-
itical responsibilities. can we do this?
Wrong as we think slavery is, we can
yet afford to let it alone where it is, be-
cause that much is due to the necessity
arising from its actual presence in the ma
ton; but can we, while our votes will pre-
vent it, allow it to spread into the Nation
al Territories, and to overrun us here in
these Free States? If our sense of duty
forbid this, then let us stand by our duty,
fearfully and effectively. Let us be di-
verified by none of those sophistical contri-
vances wherewith we are so industriously
piled and belabored-contrivan such as
cropping for some middle ground Jetceen tile
right and the acrong, vain as the search for
man vino should be neither living or
dead man-such as a policy of s:don't
care" on question about which all true
men do care-such as Union appeals, be-
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