Year: 1860

convince me, that whatever OF high hope las


think there isl there may be in this, in the long


run, its sudden execution is impossible. II


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?
think ! would not hold one in slavery at any
rate yet the point is not clear enough to de.


nounce people upon. What next2 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 ard
sound judgment, is not the sole question. II,
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.


| "When they remind us of their constitutional
rights, l acknowledge them, not grudgingly,
but fully and airlyj and l would give them
any legislation for the reclaiming Of their fugi.
tives, which should not, in its strinsency, be
more likely to carry q free man into slavery
that our ordinary criminal laws are to hang an
innocent one."-Speech at Ohopa, Ill.,, Aug.
81, 1858.


" Has anything ever threatened the existence
of this Unon save and except this very institu.
ton Of slavery? What is it that we hold most
dear amongst us2 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 enlarging
slavery-by spreading it out, and making It
bigger?


"You may have a 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 wrong."-Speech at Ahon Oct.
l5 1858.


suppose most of us II know it of myself)
believe that the people of the Southern States
are entitled to a 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 fugitive slave law? Because do not
understand that the Constitution, which guar.
antics that right, can be supported without
it."-Speech at Alton, Oct. Is, S5S.


"The real issue in this controversy one
pressing upon every minds the sentiment on
the part of one class that looks upon the inst.
tuition of slavery as a wrong, and of another
class that does not look upon it as wrong.
The sentiment that contemplates the institution
OF slavery IN this country as a wrong, is the
sentiment of the Republican party. They look
upon it as being moral, social, and political
wrong; and while they contemplate it as such,
they nevertheless have due regard for its actual
existence among u.s. and the difficulties of get.
ting rid OF it in any satisfactory way, and to all
the constitutional obligations thrown about it. |
Yet having due regard for these, they desire
policy in regard to it that looks to its not ere.
atng any more danger. They insist that it |
should, as far as may be- be treated as a wrong ;
and one of the methods of treating it as a
wrong is to make provision that it shall grow
no larger. If there be man among us who |
does not think that the institution of slavery is
wrong in any of the aspects of which have
spoken, he is misplaced, and ought not to be |
with us. And if there be a man amongst us
who is so impatient of it as a wrong as to dis.
regard its actual presence among ms, and the |
difficulty of getting rid of it suddenly in sat |
istactory way, and to disregard the constitu.
tional obligations thrown about it, that man is |
misplaced if he is on our platform. ."-Speech at
Alton, Oct l5, 1858.


A FEW WORDS TO THE SOUTH.


"We the Republicans, and others, forming
the opposition of the country, intend to stand
by our guns 10 be patient and firm, and in the |
long run to beat you When we do beat you,
you perhaps want to know what we will do |
with you. l will tell you, so far as am au.
thorized to speak for the opposition, what we
mean to do with you. We mean to treat you,
as nearly as we possibly can, as Washington,
Jefferson, and Madison, treated you. We mean
to leave you alone, and in no way interfere
with your institution; to abide by every com.
promise of the Constitution /; and, in word,
coming back to the original pro position, to
treat you as far as degeneraed men (if we have
degenerated) may, according to the examples
Of those noble fathers-W Washington, Jefferson,
and Madison. We mean to remember that you
are as good as we are; that there is no diff
ference between u.s. other than the difference
of circumstances. We mean to recognise and
bear in mind, always, that you have as good
hearts in your bosoms as other people, or as
we claim to have, and to treat jou accord. |
ingly.-Speech at Cincinnati, Sept. II, 1859.