The national Republican., 1861-02-06

think there ISL there may be in this in the long
run, its sudden execution is impossible. If
they were all landed there in day, they would
perish in the next ten days and there are not
surplus shipping aud surplus money enough in
the world to carry them there ir>nany times
ten days. What then2 Free them all, and
keep them among us as underlings? Is 1t quite
certain that this betters their condition7
think l would not hold one in slavery at any
rate; vet the point is not clear enough to de-
pounce people upon. What next2 Free them,
and make them politically and socially our
EQUALS? Nv own feelings will not admit OF
this and if mine would, we well know that
those of the great mass Of white people will not.
Whether this feeling accords with justice and
sound Judgment, is not the sole question, it,
indeed it is any part of it. A universal feel
ing, whether well or i'll founded, cannot be
safely disregarded. We cannot, then, make
them equals. 1t does seem to me that sys.
TENS of gradual emancipation might be adopt
ed; but for that tardiness in this respect, l
will not undertake to Judge our brethren Of the
South.
"N hen they remind us Of their constitutional
rights, l acknowledge them, not grudgingly,
but fully and fairly; and l would give them
any legislation for the reclaiming of their fugi.
tives, which should not, in its stringency, be
more likely to carry free man into slavery
that our ordinary criminal laws are to hang an
innocent one."-Speech at OHotcd, Ill.,, dug.
81, 1858. ,..
of this Union, save and except this very institu-
ton of slavery? What is it that we hold most
dear amongst us2 Our own liberty and pros.
perity. What has ever threatened our liberty
and prosperity, save and except this institution
of slavery If this is true, how do you propose
to improve the condition of things by enlarging
slavery-by spreading it out, and making it
bigger -
person, and not be able to cut it out, lest you
bleed to death but surely it is no way to cure
it to engraft it, and spread it over your whole
body. That is no proper way of treating what
| you regard as a wrong."-Speech at Alton, Oct
l5, 1858. -,
believe that the people of the Southern States
are entitled to a Congressional fugitive slave
law. As the right is constitutional, l agree
that the legislation shall be granted to it, and
| that not that we like the institution Of slavery
| We profess to have no taste for running and
catching negroes; at least, profess no taste
for that Job at all Why, then, do yield sup
port to fugitive slave law? Because do not
understand that the Constitution, which guar
antics that right, can be supported without
it."-Speech at Alton, Oct. Is, s5S.
The real issue in this controversy-the one
pressing upon every minds the sentiment on
the part of one class that looks upon the insti.
tuition of slavery as a wrong, and of another
class that does not look upon it as a wrong.
| The sentiment that contemplates the institution
of slavery in this country as a wrong, is the
sentiment of the Republican party. They look
upon it as being moral, social, and political
| and vhIlp thpv contain plutp IL as such.
they nevertheless have due regard for its actual
existence among us, and the difficulties of get
ting rid of it in any satisfactory way, and to all
| the constitutional obligations thrown about it.
Yet having due regard for these, they desire
policy in regard to it that looks to its not ere.
ating any more danger. They insist that it
should, as far as may be, be treated as wrong
and one of the methods Of treating it as a
wrong is to make provision that it shall grow
no larger. If there be man among us who
does not think that the institution of slavery is
wrong in any of the aspects Of which | have
spoken, he is misplaced, and ought not to be
with US. And if there be man amongst u'
who is so impatient Of it as a wrong as to dis
regard its actual presence among ms, and thu
difficulty of getting rid Of it suddenly in sat
siactory way, and to disregard the constitu
tional obligations thrown about it, that man il
} misplaced if he is on our platform. m."-Speech a
: alton, Oct. l5, 1858.
FEW WORDS TO THE SOUTH.
"We the Republicans, and others, forming
the opposition of the country, intend to stanc
by our guns, to be patient and firm, and in the
long run to beat you. When we do beat you
you perhaps want to know what we will dc
with you. l will tell you, so far as / am au
thorized to speak for the opposition, what we
mean to do with you We mean to treat you
as nearly as we possibly can, as Washington
jefferson, and Madison, treated you. We mean
to leave you alone, and in no way interfere
with your institution; to abide by every com
promise of the Constitution and, in a word
coming back to the original proposition, tc
treat you as far as degenerated men five have
. degenerated) may, according to the examples
) of those noble fathers-W Washington, Jefferson
, and Madison. We mean to remember that yol
are as good as we are that there is no dii
ference between US, other than the difference
J of circumstances. We mean to recognise ant
. bear in mind, always, that you have as goo'
hearts in your bosoms as other people, or a
, we claim to have, and to treat jou accord
ingly.-Speech at Cincinnati, Sept. II, 1859.
DOUGLAS AND JOHNSON PLATFORN
Resolved, That we, the Democracy of tn
Union, in Convention assembled, hereby d,
clare our affirmance of the resolutions unan
mously adopted and declared as platform {
principles by the Democratic Convention a
Cincinnati, in the year 1856, believing tha
Democratic principles are interchangeable j
their nature, when applied to the same subjec
matter; and we recommend as the only furthe
resolutions the following:
ResOlred, That it is the duty of the Unite
States to afford mple and complete protectio
N. L,,. -