Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1866-05-18
Abraham Lincoln on Negro Equality-his
Speech at Columbus, Ohio, Oct, 1859.

Appearing here for the first time, Ihaye
been somewhat embarrassed for topic by
way of introduction to my speech, but have
been relieved from that embarrassment by an
introduction which the Ohio Statesman news
paper gave me this morning. In this paper
have read an article in which, among 9TH
er statements, / find the following In de-
batting with Senator Douglas during the mem
orable contest Of last fall, Mr.. Lincoln de-
clared in favor Of negro suffrage, and at
tempted to defend that vile conception against
the little Giant
81 mention this now, at the opening of
my remarks for the purpose of making three
comments upon it. The first [ have already
announced; it furnished me with an intro
ductory topic. The second is to show that
The gentleman is mistaken. Thirdly, to give
him an opportunity to correct it..
s. In the first place, in regard to this mat
ter being mistake, | have found that it is
not entirely safe, when one is misrepresent-
ed under his very nose, to allow the misrepre-
sentation to go uncontradicted. I, therefore,
propose here, at the outset not only to say
that this is a misrepresentation, but to show
conclusively that it is so and you will bear
with me while add couple Of extracts from
that very memorable debate with Mr. Doug
las last year, to which this paper refers. In
the first pitched battle which Senator Doug
las and myself had, at the town Of Ottawa,
| used the language which will now read.
Having been previously reading an extract,
/ continued IS fellows:
q Now gentlemen, / aon NTant to read at
any greater length, but this is the true COM
plexion of all that [ have ever said in regard
to the institution Of slavery and the black
race. This is the whole of it, and any thing
that argues me into his idea Of perfect social
and political equality with the negro, is but
a specious and fantastic arrangement Of words
by which man can prove horse-chestnut
to be chestnut horse. I will say here,
while upon this subject, that | have no pur-.
pose, directly or indirectly, to interfere with
the Institution of slavery in the States
where it exists. | believe / have no lawful
right to do SO, and I have no inclination to
do so. | have no purpose to introduce polit-
zeal and social equality between the white and
black races. There is a physical difference
between the two which, in my judgment, viii
probably forbid their ever living together,
upon the footing Of perfect equality and, in
asmuch as it becomes necessity that there
must be difference. I, as well Judge Doug
las, am in favor of the race to which belong
having the superior position. I have never
said anything to the contrary, but hold that
notwithstanding all this, there is no reason
in the world why the negro is not entitled.to
all the natural rights enumerated in the De-
claration of Independence the right of life,
liberty, and the pursuit Of happiness. I
hold that he is as much entitled to these as
the white man. I agree with Judge Doug
las he is not my equal in many respects
certainly not in color, perhaps not in moral
and intellectual endowments. But in the
right to eat the bread, without leave of any
body else, which bis own hands earn, he is
my equal, and the equal of Judge Douglas,
and the equal of every living man. .-.5 7.se
upon subsequent occasion, when the
reason for making statement like this re-
Cured, said:
While was at the hotel, to-day, an ell
DERBY gentleman called on me to know wheth-
er l was really in favor Of producing perfect
equality between the negroes and white peo-
pie While I had not proposed to myself,
on this occasion, to say much on that subject,
yet, as the question was asked me, | thought
I would occupy perhaps five minutes in say
ing something in regard to it. I will say,
| then, that am not, nor never have been, in
favor Of bringing about, in any way the So
cial and political equality Of the white and
black races; that am not, nor never have
been, in favor Of making voters or jurors of
negroes, nor of qualifying them to hold Of
fee, or intermarry with the white people, and
I will say, in addition to this, that there is a
physical difference between the white and
black races which, I believe, will forever for
bid the two race living together on terms Of
social and political equality. And inasmueh
as thew can not so live, while they do remain