the life of stephen a. douglas-第6章

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itory　for　the　extension　of　slavery；　but　that　the　nature　of　the　country　had　defeated；　in　large　part；　the　hopes　of　the　South。　　He　declared　that　the　whole　question　of　slavery　was　settled　by　a　higher　law　than　that　of　Congress　and　that　there　was　not　then　a　foot　of　territory　whose　status　was　not　already　fixed　by　the　laws　of　the　several　States　or　the　decree　of　the　Almighty；　that；　by　the　irrepealable　laws　of　physical　geography；　slavery　was　already　excluded　from　California　and　New　Mexico。　　He　〃would　not　take　pains　uselessly　to　reaffirm　an　ordinance　of　Nature；　nor　to　reenact　the　will　of　God。〃　　He　denounced　the　Abolitionists　and　urged　upon　the　Northern　States　the　duty　of　faithfully　and　energetically　enforcing　the　abhorred　Fugitive　Slave　Law。

Seward；　speaking　a　few　days　later；　insisted　that　it　was　their　clear　duty　to　admit　California　under　any　Constitution　adopted　by　it；　republican　in　form；　and　assured　then　that　had　its　Constitution　permitted　slavery　he　would　still　have　deemed　it　his　duty　to　vote　for　its　admission。　　He　protested　against　the　Fugitive　Slave　Law　as　necessarily　nugatory　and　utterly　impossible　of　execution　because　unanimously　condemned　by　the　public　sentiment　of　the　North。　　In　answer　to　the　crushing　argument　that　the　Constitution　carried　slavery　into　the　Territories　and　that　cheerful　obedience　must　be　yielded　to　the　supreme　law；　he　announced　the　startling　doctrine　that　there　was　a　HIGHER　LAW　than　the　Constitution；　to　which　their　first　duty　was　due；　that　slavery　was　a　violation　of　this　HIGHER　LAW　and　hence　the　Constitution　itself　was　powerless　to　establish　it　in　the　Territories。

On　the　13th　and　14th　Douglas　spoke。　　The　speech　was　able　and　adroit。　　It　was　marred　by　the　introduction　of　party…politics　into　a　discussion　of　such　gravity。　　He　was　always　prone　to　lapse　from　statesmanlike　dignity　to　the　level　of　the　politician　and　viewed　most　matters　primarily　in　their　relation　to　he　transient　questions　of　party　politics。　　He　undertook　the　ambitious　task　of　replying　to　the　speeches　of　Webster；　Seward；　and　Calhoun。　　He　repelled　the　charge　made　by　Webster　that　the　Northern　Democracy　had　surrendered　to　the　slave　power　in　supporting　the　annexation　of　Texas　and　the　Mexican　War；　declaring　that　they　had　supported　those　measures　from　patriotic　motives；　and　that　he　was　〃one　of　those　Northern　Democrats　who　supported　annexation　with　all　the　zeal　of　his　nature。〃　　〃With　a　touch　of　the　Northwestthe　Northwestern　Democracy；〃　sneered　Webster；　who　contemptuously　looked　upon　him　as　a　crude　blustering　youth　from　the　far　West。　　But　Webster；　whose　contempt　for　his　coarse　taste　was　justified；　had　misjudged　his　resources　and　power。

〃Yes；　sir；〃　replied　Douglas；　〃I　am　glad　to　hear　the　Senator　say　'With　a　touch　of　the　Northwest'；　I　thank　him　for　the　distinction。　　We　have　heard　so　much　talk　about　the　North　and　South；　as　if　those　two　sections　were　the　only　ones　necessary　to　be　taken　into　consideration　*　*　*　that　I　am　gratified　to　find　that　there　are　those　who　appreciate　the　important　truth　that　there　is　a　power　in　this　Nation；　greater　than　either　the　North　or　the　Southa　growing；　increasing；　swelling　power；　that　will　be　able　to　speak　the　law　to　this　Nation　and　to　execute　the　law　as　spoken。　　That　power　is　the　country　known　as　the　great　West；　the　Valley　of　the　Mississippi；　one　and　indivisible　from　the　Gulf　to　the　Great　Lakes；　stretching　on　the　ones　side　and　the　other　to　the　extreme　sources　of　the　Ohio　and　the　Missourifrom　the　Alleghenies　to　the　Rocky　Mountains。

〃There；　sir；　is　the　hope　of　this　Nation；　the　resting…place　of　the　power　that　is　not　only　to　control　but　to　save　the　Union。　　We　furnish　the　water　that　makes　the　Mississippi　and　we　intend　to　follow；　navigate　and　use　it　until　it　loses　itself　in　the　briny　ocean。　　So　with　the　St。　Lawrence。　　We　intend　to　keep　open　and　enjoy　both　of　these　great　outlets　to　the　ocean；　and　all　between　them　we　intend　to　take　under　our　especial　protection　and　keep　and　preserve　as　one　free；　happy；　and　united　people。　　This　is　the　mission　of　the　great　Mississippi　Valley；　the　heart　and　soul　of　the　Nation　and　the　continent。　　We　know　the　responsibilities　that　devolve　upon　us；　and　our　people　will　show　themselves　equal　to　them。　　We　indulge　in　no　ultraism；　no　sectional　strifes；　no　crusades　against　the　North　and　the　South。　　*　*　*　We　are　prepared　to　fulfill　all　our　obligations　under　the　Constitution　as　it　is；　and　determined　to　maintain　and　preserve　it　inviolate　in　its　letter　and　spirit。　　Such　is　the　position；　the　destiny　and　purpose　of　the　great　Northwest。〃

He　told　Webster　that；　according　to　the　doctrine　of　his　7th　of　March　speech；　to　permit　Texas　to　be　divided　into　several　States　would　be　harmless；　because　slavery　was　excluded　from　a　large　part　of　it　by　the　ordinance　of　Nature；　the　will　of　God。　　He　taunted　him　for　not　having　discovered　his　now　celebrated　principle　of　the　ordinance　of　Nature　and　will　of　God　until　after　Taylor's　election；　and　reminded　him　that　prior　to　the　election　Cass　and　Buchanan；　the　recognized　heads　of　the　Democratic　party；　had　advocated　leaving　the　question　to　the　decision　of　the　settlers　in　the　Territories　or；　in　other　words；　leaving　the　ordinance　of　Nature　and　will　of　God　to　manifest　themselves。　　But　Webster　had　then　opposed　Cass'　election　and　denounced　his　doctrines　and　proposed　policies。　　The　Whigs；　having　run　counter　to　the　overwhelming　popular　sentiment　in　their　unpatriotic　opposition　to　the　Mexican　War；　found　themselves　ruined。　　They　chose　a　distinguished　soldier　of　that　war　President；　and　hoped　to　rally　by　adopting　this　Democratic　doctrine。

He　accused　Seward　of　carrying　New　York　for　the　Whigs　in　the　late　election　by　assuring　them　that　Taylor；　though　a　slave…holder；　would　approve　the　legislative　monstrosity　known　as　the　Wilmot　proviso；　excluding　slavery　forever　from　the　new　Territories。　　But　Taylor　had　ignored　Seward's　promise。　　New　York's　vote　had　elected　Taylor　and　a　few　weeks　later　Seward　was　chosen　Senator。　　Taylor　was　made　President　and　Seward　Senator　by　the　latter's　successful　fraud。

Calhoun's　charge　of　Northern　aggression　and　encroachment　he　met　with　a　sweeping　denial。　　Neither　the　North　nor　the　South　as　such　had　any　right　in　the　Territories；　but　all　the　people　of　the　States　had　equal　rights　there。　　The　Ordinance　of　1787；　denounced　by　Calhoun　as　a　Northern　aggression　on　Southern　rights；　was　voted　for　by　every　Southern　State。　　That　Ordinance　did　not；　in　fact；　exclude　the　South；　or　even　slavery；　from　the　Northwest　Territory。　　A　majority　of　the　settlers　in　Ohio；　Indiana　and　Illinois　were　from　the　South。　　Slavery　had　actually　existed　in　Indiana　and　Illinois　and　had　but　recently　disappeared。　　The　Missouri　Compromise　was　not　an　act　of　Northern　aggression；　but　was　passed　by　a　united　South　which　had　made　repeated　efforts　to　extend　it　to　the　Pacific。　　The　exclusion　of　slavery　from　Oregon　was　not　an　act　of　Northern　aggression；　but　the　work　of　the　settlers　during　the　period　of　joint　occupancy　under　the　treaty　with　Great　Britain；　and　should　be　accepted　by　the　anti…slavery　agitators　as　proof　of　the　wisdom　of　popular　sovereignty。　　the　objection　that　the　people　of　the　South　were　forbidden　to　emigrate　with　their　property　to　the　new　Territories　was　simply　a　complaint　that　they　could　not　carry　the　laws　of　their　States　with　them；　but　must　be　governed　by　the　laws　of　their　new　domicile。　　Calhoun's　project　of　maintaining　an　equilibrium　between　free　and　slave　States　or　of　compelling　States　to　accept　or　retain　slavery　against　their　will　was　impossible。

At　the　organization　of　the　Government　twelve　of　the　thirteen　States　had　slavery。　　but　six　of　them　voluntarily　abolished　it。　　Delaware；　Maryland；　Missouri；　Kentucky；　North　Carolina；　and　Tennessee　would　yet　adopt　the　system　of　gradual　emancipation。　　Seventeen　free　States　would　soon　be　formed　out　of　the　territory　between　the　Mississippi　and　the　Pacific。　　Where　would　they　find　slave　territory　with　which　to　balance　these　States？　　If　Texas　were　divided　into　five　States；　three　of　them　would　be　free。　　If　Mexico　were　annexed；　twenty　of　her　twenty…two　States　would　be　free　by　the　ordinance　of　Nature　or　the　will　of　God。　　He　urged　the　duty　of　promptly　providing　governments　for　the　unorganized　domain　and　closed　with　a　graceful　tribute　to　Clay　and　the　prediction　that　the　Territories　would