The national Republican., 1861-01-22

convince me, that whatever of high hope las
think there is) 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 and surplus money enough in
the world to carry them there in many times
ten days. What then2 Free them all, and
keep them among us as underlings2 Is it quite
certain that this betters their condition? l
think I would not hold one in slavery at any
rate yet the point is not clear enough to de-
nounce people upon. What next 2 Free them,
and make them politically and socially our
equals My 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, If,
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, | acknowledge them not grudgingly,
but fully and fairly; and l would give them
any legislation for the reclaimng of thes 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 Otto,ca, H., Aug
| q, 1858.
"Has anything ever threatened the existence
! of this Union, save and except this very institu
ton of slavery? What is it that we hold most
dear amongst us? 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 enarging
slavery-by spreading it out, and making it
bigger2
"You may have wen or cancer on your
person. and not be able to cut it out lest you
bleed to death but surely it is no way to cure
it to engratt it, and spread it over your whole
body. That is no proper way Of treating what
you regard as awrong."-Speech at alton, Oct.
10, 1858.
"I suppose most of us (I know it of myself)
believe that the people of the Southern States
are entitled to 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 a fugitive slave law? Because do MOI
understand that the Constitution, which guar
antics that right, can be supported without
it."-Speech at Alton, Oct. 10, s5s.
,, "The real issue in this conference.-the one
, pressing upon every minds the sentiment OF
, the part Of one class that looks upon the insti
. tuition of slavery as wrong, and of another
class that does not look upon it as a wrong
i The sentiment that contemplates the institution
:, Of slavery in this country as wrong, is th
~ sentiment of the Republican party. They lool
| "a, L.. ,,.l LII
' wrong; and while they contemplate it as such
they nevertheless have due regard for its actua
: existence among us, and the difficulties of get
: ting rid of it in any satisfactory way, and to al
: the constitutional obligations thrown about it
Yet having a due regard for these they desir,
policy in regard to it that looks to its not ere
ating any more danger. They insist that i
should, as far as may be, be treated as a wrong
and one Of the methods Of treating it
J wrong is to make provision that it shall gro,
Y no larger. IL there be man among us VIII
- does not think that the institution of slavery
wrong in any Of the aspects of which hav
If spoken, he is misplaced, and ought not to b
$ with US. And if there be man amongst u
d who is so impatient of it as a wrong as to dis
e regard its actual presence among ms, and tn
IS difficulty of getting rid of it suddenly in sa
II isfactory way, and to disregard the constit,
1t tional obligations thrown about it, that man
% misplaced if he is on our platform. ."-Speech
e. Alton, Oct. Is, 1858.
- - A FEW WORDS TO THE SOUTH.
- ave the Republicans, and others, formin
NJ the opposition Of the country, intend to stan
~ by our guns 10 be patient and firm, and in tt
long run to beat you. When we do beat 20,
a you perhaps want to know what we will
es with you. l will tell you, so far as am a.
IN thorized to speak for the opposition, what "
- mean to do with you. We mean to treat yo
as nearly as we possibly can, as Washingto
a. Jefferson and Madison, treated you. We mes
lis to leave you alone, and in no way interie
ed with your institution to abide by every cor
ed promise Of the Constitution and, in q wor
,r. coming back to the original proposition,
ne treat you as far as degenerated men (ifwe ha
he degenerated) may, according to the exampl
as of those noble fathers-W Washington, Jefferso
he and Madison. We mean to remember that yt
,r. are as good as we are; that there is no d
Al ference between US, other than the different
as of circumstances. We mean to recognise ar
&c bear in mind, always, that you have as goc
is hearts in your bosoms as other people, or
he we claim to have, and to treat Jou accor
in ingly.-Speech at Cincinnati, Sept. II, 1859.
i DOUGLAS AND JOHNSON PLATFORl
ih Resolved, That we, the Democracy of t
az Union, in Convention assembled hereby {
ae clare our ahirmance of the resolutions una
n n mously adopted and declared as platform
ls, Is principles by the Democratic Convention
IN Cincinnati, in the year 1856, believing tn
ne Democratic principles are unchangeabe
ey their nature, when applied to the same subje
na na matter; and we recommend as the only furth
hg resolutions the following:
I'm Resolced, That it is the duty of the Unit
lt. It, States to afford ample and complete protect
eit to all its citizens, whether at home or abroa
he and whether native or foreign.
re- Resolred, That one of the necessities of t