The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1860-07-20
CONCLUDED.


Ii is nut just however, that Mr.. Lincoln
should be heard further on these questions
and answers, and in explanation of them,
and in the same discussion, he says:
"Now, my friends, it will be perceived,
upon an examination of these questions and
answers, that so far have only answered
that was not pledged to this, that, or the
other The Judge has not framed his in
terrogatories to ask me anything more than
this, and have answered in strict accord
auce with the heterogeneous, and have an
swered truly that ] am not pledged at all
upon any of the points to which l have an
swered. But am not disposed to hang
upon the exact form of his interrogatory. i
am rather disposed to take up at least some
of these questions, and state what | really
think upon them.
" AS to the first one, in regard to the FuA
gitive Slave Law, have never hesitated to
say, and do not now hesitate to say, that
I think, under the Constitution of the init
ed States the people OF the Southern States
are entitled to a Congressional Fugitive
Slave law. Having said that, l have had
nothing to say in regard to the existing Flu
gitive Slave law, further than that think
it should have been framed so as to be free
from some Of the objections that pertain to
it, without lessening its efficiency. And,
inasnuch as we are not now in agitation
in regard to an alteration or modification
of that law, IwCuld not be the man to in
troduce it as a new subject of agitation upon
the general question of slavery.
In regard TO the other question, of
whether | am pledged as the admission of
any more slave States into the Union state
to you very frankly that would be exceed
ingly sorry ever to be PIT in position of
having to pass upon that question. | should
be exceedingly glad to know that there
would never be another slave State admit
ted into the Union; but l must add, that if
slavery shall be kept out of the Territories
during the territorial existence of any one
given Territory and then the people shall,
having a fair chance and clear field, when
they come TO adopt the Constitution, un
influenced by the actual presence of the in
s.itution among them, l see no alternative,
if we own the country, bat to admit them
them into the Union.
"The third intcrrogatoTy is answered to
the second, it being, as conceive, the same
as the second.
"The fourth one is in regard to the abo-
lition of slavery 10 the District ofColumbia.
In relation to that, l have my mind very
distinctly made up. | should be exceeding
ly glad to see slavery abolished in the Dis
trict of Columbia. l believe that Congress
possesses the constitutional power to abolish
it. Yet, as a member of Congress, / should
not, with my present views, be in favor of
endsaUoTing to abolish slavery in the Dis
trict of Columbia, unless it would be npon
these conditions: First, that the abolition
should be gradual. Second that it should
be on vote of the majority of qualified vo-
tiers in the District And, third, that COM
pensation should be made to unwilling
owners. With these three conditions, con-
fess / would be exceedingly glad TO see Con-
gress abolish slavery in the District of Co.
lumbia, and, in the language of Henry
Clay, "sweep from our capital that foul blot
upon our nation
sin regard to the fifth iutcrrogatory, 1
must say here, that as to the question of
the slave trade ietween the different States.
can truly answer, as | have, that | am
pledged to nothing about it. 1t is a subject
to which have not given that mature con-
sideration that would make me feel author.
lied to state position so as to hold ,nvself
entirely bound by 1t. In other words, that
question has never been prominently enough
before me to investigate whether We really
have the constitutional power to do it, |
could investigate it if | had sufficient time
TO bring myself to d conclusion upon that
SUoJSCe DuL Il nave HOt uOHe so anu
say so frankly to you here, and to Judge
Douglas. 1 must say, however, that if
should be OF opinion that Congress does
possess the constitutional power to abolish
the slave trade among the different States, ]
should still not be in favor of the exercise OF
that power unless upon some conservative
principle, a ! conceive il, akin to what
have said in relation to the abolition o.
slavery in the District of Columbia.
"My answer as to whether desire thai
slavery should be prohibited in all the Ter.
Titories of the United States is full and ex.