, 1860-10-15
OUR NATIONAL GROWTH.

In some portions OF this confederacy it is
lawful to hold slsves-in other porlions it is
not; our national growth has been more rapid
than that Of my other P ople; therefore, we
are indebted for our prosperity to this aa1nix-
ture Of incongruous systems. After this maa-
ner would Mr. Douglas construct political
syllogism. No longer ago thsn last wesk he
informed the people Of this city that our gov
ernment was based "on the principle Of por"
"tion Of the States being free, and portion
q Of them elsve;" and he triumpbantly asked
whether or not any other people had "made
"as rapid and as great strides in civilization.
"in wealth and population, in glory and in all
"ths elements Of greatness, as The people Of
4the United States, divided as they have been
"in1o free aud elave States, as cur fathers
"madc the Republic?'
Two inquiries very naturally here suggest
themselves. Mr. Douglas once said in the
Sanate that ho looked forward with coad-
dence" to the time when the people Of the
Southern States would "adopt one gradual
. c..u.., .Lnv
'h1e" ~ ,:..: ~- ~- 49,. as,et ma.,a
e''u'" e"''' M - .....o,, -
1aa' eu''e'@ Nno 4e
so'o1ne1eus' 7 ~ .,
aumc' "oaa aAs"e' ~ Wv " ="
then' cou@ II na'0 po'a 'ua '. .oo
"priaciple Of portion Of the States being
'fee aau " f'o' -lo1 '. $ .'.
tce ~ 'ue poo' .'a - .4,e. =. ~" ~ @
Ee't, 'n@S >ne p.4ue.p'as y, 49," w. "-. tss ,~ ~
no seems - 1a ' A -.
sonnoatlon NJ a: <@o4 49," "''1'.1 1850 49,
overture" any o1nef -'N'@' F'3 ~
them n7tHect Whatever.
Aga'n, ars We indebted lor our greatness 70
slavery or have We achieved our greatness
In spite OF it? Lava our national resources
been developed by slaves and their masters
Or by the men who are themselves not slaves,
md VII, do not own slaves? Are we, as a
people, more happy, more virtuous, more in
teliigent, more free, more wealthy, more pow.
e,ful, than we would have been had no slave
ever set his foot upon our soil? If not, why
il Mr.. Douglas forever prating about our pros
pority in connection with slhveEy7
Theu,. We have carried this dead-wesght
aud Jet outst1ipped all other nations Dart
my man, except Douglas, say that our tpeed
was increased BY the load We carried? Tht
Hudson Alser IL peautunA elFoam' Ooe'
Il owe its proyerbial clearness to the 1lth,
veweragc Of the cities and towns on its banks
Our troops gained unparalleled victories il
Mexico, over enemies sheltered by every con
reivable protection. What would VIC think
~ historian who should try to make his read
ers believe that those v'csoriea could not hAV'
, besn achieved had there been no mor'sses
wade, no hills to climb, no walls 70 scale
Had Mr.. Douglas turned his mind toward
literature instead Of politics. it is not improba
bic that be would havo astenished the militar
world with just su:h profound s2eculatonsa
these. There ia in his philosophy no shade
difference between an accidental c'rc'1mstarc
and prime cause. lrstead OF baslng his til
ories On facts, be bases facts on Ills fheor1es.-
He IL evidently doing his best o'mltase anotf
e.rcnowned giant one Procrustesr an lnnkeel
er, who lodged all his guests in the same be-
Ehort men he stretched till they fitted Il
souch; and tall men be reduced to the pFopt
length BY chopping Of portions OF the
1egn -
The Republicans, knowing thAs freedom
sta discount wherever slsvery commands
n,an;ur n,o,o,e to check the growth Of 81
*-a-, 7. ri. rroof that thew intend to vi