The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1860-05-17
NATIONAL POLITICS
A SPEECH
Delivered at the Cooper Institute, N. Y.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN, of Illinois.

"thirty nine" fathers who framed the o.
riginal Constitution, twenty one-a clear
ma ority of the whole certainly under
stood that no proper division of local from
Federal authority, nor any part of the
Constitution, forbade the Federal Govern
ment to control Slavery in the Federal
Territories; while ell the rest probably
had the same understanding. Such, un-
questionably, was the understanding OF
our fathers who framed the original Con.
stitution; and the text afirms that they
understood the question better than we.
But SO far, have been considering the
understanding of the question manifested
by the trainers of the original Constitu-
tuition. In, and by, the original instru-
meDt, mode was provided for amending
it; and, as | have already stated, the
present frame of G Governmapt under which
We live consists of that isinal and twelve
anendatory articles framed and adopted
since. Those who now insist that FEEDER
al control of Slavery in Federal Terrific
ries violates the Constitution, point US to
the provisions which they suppose it thus
violates; and, as [ understand, they all
fix upon provisions in these amendatory
articles, and not in the original instru-
ment. The Supreme Court, in the Dred
Scott case, plant themselves upon the fifth
amend ment, which provides that 'Do per-
son shall be deprived of property without
due process of law; while Senator Douglas
and his peculiar adhercnts plant them
selves upon the tenth amendment, provi.
ding that "the powers not granted by the
Constitution, are reserved to the States
respectively, and to the people"
Now, it so happens that these amend
ments were framed by the first Congress
which sat under the CoDstitution--the l.
IDENTICAL Congress which passed the act
already mentioned, enforcing the prohi-
ton of Slavery in the North Western
Territory. Not only was it the sane
Congress, but they were the identical
same individual men who, at the same ses-
sion, and at the same time within the ses,
sion, bad under consideration, and in pro.
gress toward maturity, these Constitution.
al amendment and this act prohibiting
Slavery 10 all the territory the nation
then owned The Constitutional amend
ments were introduced before and passed
after the act enforcing the Ordinance oil
ST. SO that during the whole pcndency
of the act to enforce the Ordinance, the
! Constitutional amendments were also pen
ding.
That Congress, consisting in all of sew.
enty six members, including sixteen oI
the trainers of the original Constitution
as before stated, we're pre-eminently oul
fathers who framed that part of the Cos.
ernmeDt under which We live which is now
claimed as fortidding the Federal Gov.
erDment to control Slavery in the FEEDER.
al Territories.
Is it not little presumptuos in any one
at this day to affirm that the two thing:
which that congress deliberately framed
and carried to maturity at the same time
are absolutely inconsistent with each 9th
erl Aud does not such affirm alton be
come impudently absurd when coupled
with the other afiram alton, from the same
mouth. that those who did the two things
alleged to be Inconsistent understood
whether they really were inconsisten
better than we-better than be who af
firms ths they are inconsistent
1t is surely safe to assume that tht
thirty nine" trainers of the original Con
stitutioD, aud the seveDty-six members o
the Congress which framed the amend
} menis thereto, taken together, do certain
y include those who may be fairly called
, "our fathers who framed the Governmen
under which We live" And so assumin.
J / defy any man to show that any one o
them ever in bis whole life declared that
in his understanding, any proper division
Of local from Federal authority, or an,
. part of the Constitution, forbade the Fed
eral Government to control as to SLAYER,
in the Federal Territories. 90 stel
further | defy any one to show that an
living man in the whole world ever diC
prior to the beginning of the last half o
the present century, declare that, in hi
understanding, any proper division of 10
cal from Federal authority, or any par
of the Constitution, forbade the Fedora
Government to control as to Slavery il
the Federal Territories. To those VII,
now SO declare, | give not only sour faith
ers who framed the Government unde
which We live," but with them all othe
living men within the century in which i
was framed, among whom to search, an,
they shall not be able to find the evidenc,
of single man agreeing with them.
. Now, aud here, let me guard little a
gainst being misunderstood. | do no
mean to say We are bound to follow i'm
plicitly in whatever our fathers did. f
do SO, would be to discard all the light
Of current experiepce-to reject all pro
gress eli improvement What do So,
is, that if we would supplant the opinion
and policy of our fathers in any case, W
should do SO upon evidence so conclusive
and argument so clear, that even thel
great authority, fairly considered an
. weighed, cannot stand; and most surel.
: not in a case whereof we ourselves declar