The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-04-27

fore she dies to have all these ne
groes, together with their increases
sem to Liberia or some other colon
in Africa. BY giving them the ne
proceeds of the last crop they mai
would fit them out for the trip, an
probably leave a large surplus to al;
them in commencing planting in tina
country. In this request / Wou1,
remind my dear daughter that he
husband does not desire to own thi
kind Of property, and mos of on
collateral connection already haN'
more of that Kind of property tha'
property as was required by the con
StitutiOn.'
To this extent Mr.. Lincoln ant
Judge Douglas agreed; but Judg;
Douglas insisted tina the question o
slavery in the territories and futur
States should be settled by the peopi'
themselves inhabiting such territOrie:
and States. In his opinion this would
reduce the question of slavery fro1r
a national to a local issue; and Woull
thus not only recognize the great doe.
trine Of home rule, but would proven
future legislation which he though
would endanger the very existence o
the Union. / am merely stating hi:
positions; but deem it simple Justice tC
his memory to ecall the fact that ne
was personally opposed to slavery
He showed the sincerity Of his con
Nictions by refusing a Sift OF slave
property offered by his father-in-laN
in the contingency of a failure Of
heirs to his wife, which would have
been worth from 500, 600 to SIPS
000. He never owned or accepted d
slave or the proceeds of a slave, di-
rectly or indirectly; nor would he per
nit himself to be placed IN a position
WhereWhere the ownership of slave
property might be cast upon him oy
operation of law. My mother, who
was the only child of Colonel Robert
Martin. of Rockingham county. North
Carolina, met my father in Washing
is Of advantage to them. | trust IN
providence, however, she will hay
children; and if so, / wish these ne
grOes to belong to them. as nearly
every head of a family m o them
have expressed to me q desire to be-
long to YOU and your children rather
than so to Africa; and to- set them
free where they are would entail on
them a greater curse, far greater in
my opinion as Well as most Of the in
telli2ent among themselves, than 70
serve a humane master whose duty it
would be to see that they were prop
erly protected in such rights as yet
belong to them, and have them prop
eI1y provided for in sickness as well
as in health"
Under his oath as of Col
onel Martin, it was the duty of Sen
ator Douglas to protect the property
belonging to his children; but it is
evident from the above provision that
Ae was never willing to own person.
ally q slave or the proceeds Of g
slave.
There is another phase of my faith
er's character, which, in the all
absorbing question Of slavery with its
possible results, does not seem to
ave been sufficiently recognized. 1t
is admirably expressed in the follow
from Chief Justice Fuller. The chief
justice says: Il knew your lament
ed father very Well. Popular as he
was, it has nevertheless seemed to
me that the extraordinarily abilities
possessed have never been fully
The slavery question
his attention., and SO the
comprehensive grasp of his mind did
get full opportunity for expression
in other directions. But as the time
on l think the impression of his
real greatness deepens.'
His constant care for the individ-
ual welfare of his own State and its
intellectual n material advancement
not be overlooked. His estb-
OF the University Of Chi
cago, not only by the use of his in
fluence but by a donation large for
man Of his. limited means, attests
interest in the higher education
Of the people. On the other hand,
the building of the Illinois Central
Railroad and his early efforts to place
all charters under legislative control
his regard for the material in
OF his State and his prophetic
view of the necessity Of corporate
In 1886, although only % years OF
age Judge Douglas, then a member
Of the Legislature Of Illinois, moved
to insert. in each charter granted a
clause Preserving the right to alter.
amend or repeal this act whenever the
public good shall require it." Again,
n 1851, while in the Senate of the
United States, he insisted that the