the life of stephen a. douglas-第32章

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s　voted　down。　　*　*　*　If　it　was　done　for　a　different　reason；　*　*　*　he　knows　what　that　reason　was　and　can　tell　us　what　it　was。　　*　*　*　It　will　be　vastly　more　satisfactory　to　the　country　for　him　to　give　some　other　intelligible；　plausible　reason　why　it　was　voted　down　than　to　stand　upon　his　dignity　and　call　people　liars。〃

Cass；　it　was　said；　on　behalf　of　the　Democrats　in　the　Senate；　proposed　to　Chase　that　he　so　change　his　amendment　as　to　provide　that　the　people　of　a　Territory　should　have　power　either　to　introduce　or　exclude　slavery；　and　they　would　accept　it。　　Chase；　having　conscientious　scruples　on　the　question　of　slavery；　declined　to　do　this　and　his　amendment　was　voted　down。　　But　it　was　quite　possible　for　them　to　have　accepted　Chase's　amendment；　forbidden　by　the　Senate　rule；　but　an　amendment　to　the　amended　bill；　which　was　permitted。

Douglas；　in　his　reply；　with　admirable　readiness；　addressed　himself　to　Lincoln's　four　questions。　　〃In　reference　to　Kansas；〃　he　said；　〃it　is　my　opinion　that；　as　she　has　population　enough　to　constitute　a　slave　State；　she　has　people　enough　for　a　free　State。　　*　*　*　The　next　question　is；　'Can　the　people　of　a　Territory　*　*　*　exclude　slavery　prior　to　the　formation　of　a　State　Constitution？'　　*　*　*　In　my　opinion　they　can。　　*　*　*　It　matters　not　in　what　way　the　Supreme　Court　may　hereafter　decide　as　to　the　abstract　question　whether　slavery　may　or　may　not　go　into　a　Territory　under　the　Constitution；　the　people　have　the　lawful　means　to　introduce　it　or　exclude　it　as　they　please；　for　the　reason　that　slavery　cannot　exist　a　day　or　an　hour　anywhere；　unless　it　is　supported　by　local　police　regulations。　Those　police　regulations　can　only　be　established　by　the　local　legislature；　and　if　the　people　are　opposed　to　slavery　they　will　elect　representatives　to　that　body　who　will；　by　unfriendly　legislation；　effectually　prevent　the　introduction　of　it　into　their　midst。　　If　on　the　contrary　they　are　for　it；　their　legislation　will　favor　its　extension。　　Hence；　no　matter　what　the　decision　of　the　Supreme　Court　may　be　on　that　abstract　question；　still　the　right　of　the　people　to　make　a　slave　Territory　or　a　free　Territory；　is　perfect　and　complete　under　the　Nebraska　bill。〃

This　bill　provided　that　the　legislative　power　of　the　Territory　should　extend　to　all　rightful　subjects　of　legislation。　　It　made　no　exception　as　to　slavery；　but　gave　full　power　to　introduce　or　exclude　it。　　What　more　could　Chase's　amendment　do？　　Chase　offered　it　for　the　purpose　of　having　it　rejected。　　He　expected　it　to　be　capital　for　small　politicians；　and　he　was　not　mistaken。　　He　was　amazed　that　Lincoln　should　ask　his　third　question。　　He　had　denounced　in　the　Senate　an　article　in　the　Washington　Union　claiming　that　any　provision　in　the　laws　or　Constitutions　of　the　free　States　excluding　slavery　was　in　conflict　with　the　Constitution　of　the　United　States。　Senator　Toombs；　on　behalf　of　the　South；　had　utterly　repudiated　the　doctrine。　　The　question　cast　an　imputation　upon　the　Supreme　Court。　Such　a　decision　was　not　possible。　　It　would　be　an　act　of　moral　treason　that　no　man　on　the　bench　could　ever　descend　to。

〃As　to　Lincoln's　fourth　question；〃　he　said：　　〃I　answer；　that　whenever　it　becomes　necessary　in　our　growth　and　progress　to　acquire　more　territory；　I　am　in　favor　of　it　without　reference　to　the　question　of　slavery；　and　when　we　have　acquired　it　I　would　leave　the　people　free　to　do　as　they　please；　either　to　make　it　slave　or　free　territory　as　they　preferred。　　*　*　*　I　tell　you；　increase；　multiply　and　expand　is　the　law　of　this　Nation's　existence。　　*　*　*　Just　as　fast　as　our　interests　and　our　destiny　require　additional　territory　in　the　North；　in　the　South　or　on　the　islands　of　the　ocean；　I　am　for　it；　and；　when　we　acquire　it；　will　leave　the　people　*　*　*　free　to　do　as　they　please　on　the　question　of　slavery　and　every　other　question。〃

At　all　the　Republican　Congressional　Conventions　held　in　Illinois　in　1854；　the　resolutions　adopted　declared　that　the　continued　aggressions　of　slavery　were　destructive　of　the　best　rights　of　a　free　people　and　must　be　resisted　by　the　united　political　action　of　all　good　men；　Kansas　and　Nebraska　must　be　made　free　Territories；　the　Fugitive　Slave　Law　repealed；　slavery　restricted　to　the　States　in　which　it　then　existed；　no　more　slave　States　admitted；　slavery　excluded　from　the　Territories　and　no　more　Territories　acquired　unless　slavery　therein　were　prohibited；　and　no　man　must　be　supported　for　office　unless　positively　pledged　to　support　these　principles。

〃Yet　Lincoln　denies　that　he　stands　on　this　platform　and　declares　that　he　would　not　like　to　be　placed　in　a　position　where　he　would　have　to　vote　for　these　things。　　*　*　*　I　do　not　think　there　is　much　danger　of　his　being　placed　in　such　a　position。　　*　*　*　I　propose；　out　of　mere　kindness；　to　relieve　him　from　any　such　necessity。〃

When　the　legislature　elected　in　1854　came　to　choose　between　Lincoln　and　Trumbull　for　Senator；　before　a　ballot　was　taken；　Lovejoy；　the　Abolitionist　introduced　resolutions　declaring　that　slavery　must　be　excluded　from　all　the　territory　then　owned　or　thereafter　acquired　by　the　United　States；　that　no　more　slave　States　should　be　admitted　and　that　the　Fugitive　Slave　Law　should　be　unconditionally　repealed。　On　the　following　day　every　man　who　had　voted　for　these　resolutions；　with　two　exceptions；　voted　for　Lincoln。　　Members　so　voting　were　all　pledged　to　vote　for　no　man　who　was　not　pledged　to　support　their　platform。　　〃Either　Lincoln　was　committed　to　these　propositions；　or　your　members　violated　their　faith。　　Take　either　horn　of　the　dilemma　you　choose。　　There　is　no　dodging　the　question；　I　want　Lincoln's　answer。　　He　is　altogether　undecided　on　these　grave　questions　and　does　not　know　what　to　think　or　do。　　If　elected　Senator　he　will　have　to　decide。　　Do　not　put　him　in　a　position　that　would　embarrass　him　so　much。　　He　does　not　know　whether　he　would　vote　for　the　admission　of　more　slave　States；　yet　he　has　declared　his　belief　that　this　Union　cannot　endure　with　slave　States　in　it。　　I　do　not　think　that　the　people　of　Illinois　desire　a　man　to　represent　them　who　would　like　to　be　put　to　the　test　on　the　performance　of　a　high　constitutional　duty。

〃I　will　retire　in　shame　from　the　Senate　of　the　United　States　when　I　am　not　willing　to　be　put　to　the　test　in　the　performance　of　my　duty。　I　have　been　put　to　severe　tests。　　I　have　stood　by　my　principles　in　fair　weather　and　foul；　in　the　sunshine　and　in　the　rain。　　I　have　defended　the　great　principles　of　self…government　here　among　you　when　Northern　sentiment　ran　in　a　torrent　against　me；　and　I　have　defended　that　same　great　principle　when　Southern　sentiment　came　down　like　an　avalanche　upon　me。　　I　was　not　afraid　of　any　test　they　put　me　to。　　I　knew　my　principles　were　right；　I　knew　my　principles　were　sound；　I　knew　that　the　people　would　see　in　the　end　hat　I　had　done　right　and　I　knew　that　the　God　of　heaven　would　smile　upon　me　if　I　was　faithful　in　the　performance　of　my　duty。　　*　*　*

At　the　time　the　Nebraska　bill　was　introduced；　Lincoln　says　there　was　a　conspiracy　between　the　Judges　of　the　Supreme　Court；　President　Pierce；　President　Buchanan　and　myself；　that　bill　and　the　decision　of　the　court　to　break　down　the　barriers　and　establish　slavery　all　over　the　Union。　　*　*　*

〃Mr。　Buchanan　was　at　that　time　in　England　and　did　not　return　for　a　year　or　more　after。　　That　fact　proves　the　charge　to　be　false　as　against　him。　　*　*　*　The　Dred　Scott　case　was　not　then　before　the　Supreme　Court　at　all；　*　*　*　*　and　the　Judges　in　all　probability　knew　nothing　of　it。　　*　*　*　*　As　to　President　Pierce；　his　high　character　as　a　man　of　integrity　and　honor　is　enough　to　vindicate　him　from　such　a　charge；　and　as　to　myself　I　pronounce　the　charge　an　infamous　lie　whenever　and　wherever　made　and　by　whomsoever　made。〃

Lincoln　closed　the　debate。　　As　to　the　discrepancy　between　the　various　Republican　resolutions　adopted　in　local　conventions　in　1854　and　the　views　stated　in　his　opening　speech；　he　said　that　at　the　beginning　of　the　Nebraska　agitation　a　new　era　in　American　politics　began。

〃In　our　opposition　to　that　measure　we　did　not　agree　with　one　another　in　everything。　　*　*　*　*　These　meetings　which　the　Judge　has　alluded　to　and　the　resolutions　he　has　read　from　were　local。　　*　*　*　We　at　last　met　together　in　1856　from　all　parts　of　the　State　and　agree