, 1861-03-08

that party are in favor of returning fugitive
to their masters from whom they escape
In short, | will give him the opportunity o
saying now, whether it is not the policy o
that party to exert all the powers of tht
Federal Government, under the Constitu
tion, according to their Interpretation o
that instrument, to restrain and cripple tht
institution Of Slavery, with view to it.
ultimate extinction in the States, old al
well as new, North as well as South?
Mr., Wade, of Ohio, (Rep) All those
! questions are most pertinently answered il
the speech to which he is now protesting
to make an answer. have nothing to add
to it.
Mr.. Douglas-I did not expect an equiv.
ocal answer. know too well that Sena.
tor will not deny that each of these inter.
rogatories does express his individual poll.
cy, and the policy Of the Republican party,
as he understands it. The harshest thing
| have said of the Republican party was
that they intended to use the power of the
Government with a view to the ultimate ex-
tinction of slavery no: only in the Terrific
ries but in the States of the Union. l
have said, and have believed it, and would
rejoice now to be corrected ,mthat it is the
policy of this party to prohibit slavery in
all the Territories of the United States
now owned or hereafter acquired, with a
view to surrounding the slave States with
a Gordon of Abolition States, and thus keep
slavery confined till the number increases
beyond the capacity of the soil to feed
them, and thus force them to die of starva-
tion, as a means Of getting rid of the evil
of slavery in the name Of humanity and
Christianity. l have said that Illinois, in
the Abolition portion of the State, but
never said it in slave State. have al.
ways been exceedingly mild in speaking of
that party in the slave-holdng States. But
inasmuch as did not get direct answer
from the Senator who makes the charge
against the Northern Democracy, will
refer to the sentiments Of the President
elect, and see what he says on that subject
The Republicans have taken pains to pub
lish reports of the debates between Mr..
Lincoln and myself aud l may say they are
unfair to me, as Mr. Lincoln had an oppor-
tunity to correct bis speeches, and the prin-
ter struck out many portions Of my replies
Mr.. Douglas then read from Mr.. Lincoln's
speech, where be speaks OF the House be.
ing divided against itself, and the crisis
must come, and the States must all become
one thing or the other, ETC., and proceeded.
When the Republican Committee publish
an edition Of Mr. Lincoln's speeches con
tanning sentiments like these, is it surprising
that the people of the South think he was
in earnest, and intended to carry out the
policy which he then announced? / Ishould
not revive such revolutionary sentiments,
but for the attempt to cast the responsible
ty upon the Northern Democracy, clearly
intimating that Mr.. Pugh aud myself we're
the chief authors of these misrepresenta-
tions. / would like to find any one man,
on that side Of the chamber in the conf.
denee Of the President elect, who would
deny that it is his policy 10 carry out the
very things to which l have referred.
feel bound, however, and take pleasure in
saying, that l don't believe the Southern
States are in any danger, or ought to have
auy apprehensions, that Mr.. Lincoln or his
party can do any harm or render insecure
their rights to persons or property any
where 10 this country. have some faith,
that Mr.. Lincoln, after having emerged
from his surroundings Of small country
village, and assumed the high responsible
ties Of administering the law, and protect.
ing the rights Of great nation, will sink
the partisan iu the patriot, and abandon
the extreme doctrines, and step forward and
avow bis willingness to save the country by
repudiating the extreme doctrines of q
party. But be that as it may, neither be
nor his party will have power to invade the
rights Of any State in the Union. had
hoped, therefore, that the Southern people
would have beeu content to remain In the
Union, and vindicaie their right in the
Union, nnder the Constitution, instead Of
rushing into revolution, and preparing them
selves to meet whatever consequences may
follow. This apprehension has become
widespread, and taken possession Of the
Southern mind, and sunk deep into the
Southern heart, and filled them with the
conviction that their fresides, their family
altars, their dom1alic institutions, are TO be
rudely assailed through the machinery Of
the Federal Government.
The Senator from Ohio tells US he don't
blame you Southern Senators for believing
these things and yet instead Of doing those
acts which will relieve your apprehensons
and render it impossible that these outrages
should be perpetrated, talks about force
war, armies aud navies. In the name o.
the Union, who are the Disuniouists?-
Those who pursue a line Of policy calcula
ted to destroy the Union, and reGase TO ar
rest that policy, or disavow that purpose
when they see that revolution has takeI
place. If such be not your polcy,why no
say SO? II you never intend to do wba
the South think is your purpose, and which
you do not blame them for thinking, wha
harm is there in making such amendment
to the Constitution as will render it impos
sibe for you to do so? But we are tolC
that the Union must be preserved, and tht
law must be enforced. agree to that
am in favor of doing all these things, &C
cordiDg to the Constitution and the laws
i No man will so further than l to maintain