Year: 1859

he i too prudent man TO DO such q
thing as that; he only means that he
will 20 on to the line between the
States Of Illinois and Ohio. and the
States of Kentucky and Missouri, and
shoot over at them. This is all he
means to do. He means to do them all
the harm that he can to disturb them,
all he can in such way as to keep his
own hide in perfect safety"


! Well, now, | did not think, at that
time, that that was either very dig
nified or very logicnl argument; but SO
it was, had to set along with 1t as
well as L could.


1t has occurred to me tonight, that
if | ever do shoot over the line at the
people on the other side of the line IN
a Slave State, and purpose to do so,
keeping my skin safe, that | have now
about the best chance | shall ever have.
should not wonder that there are
some kentuckians about this audience;
we are close to Kentucky; and whether
that be so or not, we are on elevated
ground, and by speaking distinctly, l
should not wonder if some of the Ken
tuckians would hear me on the other
side of the river For that reason /
propose to address portion of what |
have to say to the Kcntuckians.


| say, then, in the first place, to the
Kentuckians, that ! am what they call,
as | understand it. n Black Republi-
can think that Slavery is wrong.
morally, socially, and politically. |
desire that it should be no further
spread in these United States, and |
should not object if it should gradually
terminate in the whole Union. While
say this for myself, ! say to you,
Kentuckians. that l understand you
differ radically with me upon this
proposition; that you believe Slavery
is a good thing; that Slavery is right;
that it ought to be extended and per-
petuatcd in this Union. Now, there
being this broad difference between us,
| do not intend in addressing myself TO
you, Kentuckians, to attempt proselyt-
ing you at all; that would be a vain
effort. do not enter upon it. ! only
propose to try to show you that you
ought to nominate for the next Presi
dcncy, at Charleston, my distinguish
friend. Judge Douglas. In all that
there is difference between you and
him, ! understand he is as sincerely for
you, and more wisely for you, than you
are yourselves / will try to demon
strate that proposition. Understand
now, l say that | believe he is as sin-
ccrely for you, and more wisely for
you. than you are for yourselves.


What do you want more than any
thing else to make your views of the
rightfulness OF Slavery, to advance the
outsrread of it, and to secure and per-
pctuaie the nationality of it? What
do you want more than any thing else?
What is needed absolutely? What Is
indispensable to you? Why if | may
be allowed to answer the question, 1t
is to retain hold upon the North-it
is to retain support and strength from
the Free States If ;ou do not get tins
support and. strength from the Free
State, you are the minority, and you
are beaten at once.


If that proposition be admitted
and it is undeniable, then the next
thing ! say to you, is that Douglas OF
all the men in this nation is the only
man that affords you any hold upon
the Free States; that nc other man can
give You any strength in the Free
States. This being so, if you doubt
the other branch of the proposition,
whether he is for you-- whether he Is
really for you. as have expressed it,


| propose asking your attention for
awhile to few facts.


The issue between you and /, un-
dcrstand, is that | think Slavery Is
wrong, and ought not to be outspread,
and You think it is right and ought to
be extended and perpetuated. y
voice. 'oh. nol'1 That is my Ken
tuckian | am talking to now.


| now proceed to try to show you
, that Douglas is as sincerely for you,
and more wisely for you, than you are
} for yourselves.


In the first place we know that in a
Government like this, in Govern
ment of the people, where the voice OF
all the men Of the country, substan-
TALLY enter into the execution-or al
/ ministration rather-of that Govern


ment in such a Government, what lies
at the bottom of all of it, is public
) opinion. ] lay down the proposition,
that Douglas is not only the man that
promises you in advance hold upon


the North and support in the North,


but that he constantly mouds public
opinion to your ends, that in every
possible way he can, he constantly
moulds public opinion of the North to
! your ends; and ifthcre are few things
in which he seems to be against you,
and few that he forbears 10 say that
you would like to have him say-you
} ought to know that the saying of the
one, or the forbearing to say the
, other, would loose his hold upon the
North, and by consequence would lose


his capacity to serve You.


Upon this subject of the moulding
, of public opinion, / call your attention
to the fact-for well-established fact


it is-that the Judge never says that
your institution of Slavery is wrong;
he never says it is right, to be sure,
} but he never says it is wrong. There
is not a public man in the United
States. believe, with the exception Of
Senator Douglas, who has not, at some
time or other in his life, declared his
opinion that ,he thing is either right
or wrong; but, Senator Douglas never
! Z. 4 - :.