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have　no　doubt　the　Supreme　Court　of　the　United　States　would　say　〃God

speed〃　to　any　of　the　Territorial　Legislatures　that　should　thus

control　slave　property；　they　would　sing　quite　a　different　tune　if；　by

the　pretence　of　controlling　it；　they　were　to　undertake　to　pass　laws

which　virtually　excluded　it；and　that　upon　a　very　well　known

principle　to　all　lawyers；　that　what　a　Legislature　cannot　directly　do；

it　cannot　do　by　indirection；　that　as　the　Legislature　has　not　the

power　to　drive　slaves　out；　they　have　no　power；　by　indirection；　by

tax；　or　by　imposing　burdens　in　any　way　on　that　property；　to　effect

the　same　end；　and　that　any　attempt　to　do　so　would　be　held　by　the　Dred

Scott　court　unconstitutional。



Douglas　is　not　willing　to　stand　by　his　first　proposition　that　they

can　exclude　it；　because　we　have　seen　that　that　proposition　amounts　to

nothing　more　nor　less　than　the　naked　absurdity　that　you　may　lawfully

drive　out　that　which　has　a　lawful　right　to　remain。　He　admitted　at

first　that　the　slave　might　be　lawfully　taken　into　the　Territories

under　the　Constitution　of　the　United　States；　and　yet　asserted　that　he

might　be　lawfully　driven　out。　　That　being　the　proposition；　it　is　the

absurdity　I　have　stated。　　He　is　not　willing　to　stand　in　the　face　of

that　direct；　naked；　and　impudent　absurdity；　he　has；　therefore；

modified　his　language　into　that　of　being　〃controlled　as　other

property。〃



The　Kentuckians　don't　like　this　in　Douglas！　I　will　tell　you　where　it

will　go。　He　now　swears　by　the　court。　　He　was　once　a　leading　man　in

Illinois　to　break　down　a　court；　because　it　had　made　a　decision　he　did

not　like。　But　he　now　not　only　swears　by　the　court；　the　courts　having

got　to　working　for　you；　but　he　denounces　all　men　that　do　not　swear　by

the　courts；　as　unpatriotic；　as　bad　citizens。　　When　one　of　these　acts

of　unfriendly　legislation　shall　impose　such　heavy　burdens　as　to；　in

effect；　destroy　property　in　slaves　in　a　Territory；　and　show　plainly

enough　that　there　can　be　no　mistake　in　the　purpose　of　the　Legislature

to　make　them　so　burdensome；　this　same　Supreme　Court　will　decide　that

law　to　be　unconstitutional；　and　he　will　be　ready　to　say　for　your

benefit　〃I　swear　by　the　court；　I　give　it　up〃；　and　while　that　is　going

on　he　has　been　getting　all　his　men　to　swear　by　the　courts；　and　to

give　it　up　with　him。　In　this　again　he　serves　you　faithfully；　and；　as

I　say；　more　wisely　than　you　serve　yourselves。



Again：　I　have　alluded　in　the　beginning　of　these　remarks　to　the　fact

that　Judge　Douglas　has　made　great　complaint　of　my　having　expressed

the　opinion　that　this　government　〃cannot　endure　permanently；　half

slave　and　half　free。〃　　He　has　complained　of　Seward　for　using

different　language；　and　declaring　that　there　is　an　〃irrepressible

conflict〃　between　the　principles　of　free　and　slave　labor。　　＇A　voice：

〃　He　says　it　is　not　original　with　Seward。　　That　it　is　original　with

Lincoln。〃＇　　I　will　attend　to　that　immediately；　sir。　Since　that　time；

Hickman　of　Pennsylvania　expressed　the　same　sentiment。　He　has　never

denounced　Mr。　Hickman：　why？　　There　is　a　little　chance；

notwithstanding　that　opinion　in　the　mouth　of　Hickman；　that　he　may　yet

be　a　Douglas　man。　　That　is　the　difference！　　It　is　not　unpatriotic　to

hold　that　opinion　if　a　man　is　a　Douglas　man。



But　neither　I；　nor　Seward；　nor　Hickman　is　entitled　to　the　enviable　or

unenviable　distinction　of　having　first　expressed　that　idea。　　That

same　idea　was　expressed　by　the　Richmond　Enquirer；　in　Virginia；　in

1856；quite　two　years　before　it　was　expressed　by　the　first　of　us。

And　while　Douglas　was　pluming　himself　that　in　his　conflict　with　my

humble　self；　last　year；　he　had　〃squelched　out〃　that　fatal　heresy；　as

he　delighted　to　call　it；　and　had　suggested　that　if　he　only　had　had　a

chance　to　be　in　New　York　and　meet　Seward　he　would　have　〃squelched〃　it

there　also；　it　never　occurred　to　him　to　breathe　a　word　against　Pryor。

I　don't　think　that　you　can　discover　that　Douglas　ever　talked　of　going

to　Virginia　to　〃squelch〃　out　that　idea　there。　　No。　　More　than　that。

That　same　Roger　A。　Pryor　was　brought　to　Washington　City　and　made　the

editor　of　the　par　excellence　Douglas　paper；　after　making　use　of　that

expression；　which；　in　us；　is　so　unpatriotic　and　heretical。　　From　all

this；　my　Kentucky　friends　may　see　that　this　opinion　is　heretical　in

his　view　only　when　it　is　expressed　by　men　suspected　of　a　desire　that

the　country　shall　all　become　free；　and　not　when　expressed　by　those

fairly　known　to　entertain　the　desire　that　the　whole　country　shall

become　slave。　When　expressed　by　that　class　of　men；　it　is　in　nowise

offensive　to　him。　In　this　again；　my　friends　of　Kentucky；　you　have

Judge　Douglas　with　you。



There　is　another　reason　why　you　Southern　people　ought　to　nominate

Douglas　at　your　convention　at　Charleston。　　That　reason　is　the

wonderful　capaciity　of　the　man；the　power　he　has　of　doing　what　would

seem　to　be　impossible。　Let　me　call　your　attention　to　one　of　these

apparently　impossible　things：



Douglas　had　three　or　four　very　distinguished　men　of　the　most　extreme

anti…slavery　views　of　any　men　in　the　Republican　party　expressing

their　desire　for　his　re…election　to　the　Senate　last　year。　　That

would；　of　itself；　have　seemed　to　be　a　little　wonderful；　but　that

wonder　is　heightened　when　we　see　that　Wise　of　Virginia；　a　man　exactly

opposed　to　them；　a　man　who　believes　in　the　divine　right　of　slavery；

was　also　expressing　his　desire　that　Douglas　should　be　reelected；　that

another　man　that　may　be　said　to　be　kindred　to　Wise；　Mr。　Breckinridge；

the　Vice…President；　and　of　your　own　State；　was　also　agreeing　with　the

anti…slavery　men　in　the　North　that　Douglas　ought　to　be　re…elected。

Still　to　heighten　the　wonder；　a　senator　from　Kentucky；　whom　I　have

always　loved　with　an　affection　as　tender　and　endearing　as　I　have　ever

loved　any　man；　who　was　opposed　to　the　anti…slavery　men　for　reasons

which　seemed　sufficient　to　him；　and　equally　opposed　to　Wise　and

Breckinridge；　was　writing　letters　into　Illinois　to　secure　the

reelection　of　Douglas。　　Now；　that　all　these　conflicting　elements

should　be　brought；　while　at　daggers'　points　with　one　another；　to

support　him；　is　a　feat　that　is　worthy　for　you　to　note　and　consider。

It　is　quite　probable　that　each　of　these　classes　of　men　thought；　by

the　re…election　of　Douglas；　their　peculiar　views　would　gain

something：　it　is　probable　that　the　anti…slavery　men　thought　their

views　would　gain　something；　that　Wise　and　Breckinridge　thought　so

too；　as　regards　their　opinions；　that　Mr。　Crittenden　thought　that　his

views　would　gain　something；　although　he　was　opposed　to　both　these

other　men。　　It　is　probable　that　each　and　all　of　them　thought　that

they　were　using　Douglas；　and　it　is　yet　an　unsolved　problem　whether　he

was　not　using　them　all。　　If　he　was；　then　it　is　for　you　to　consider

whether　that　power　to　perform　wonders　is　one　for　you　lightly　to　throw

away。



There　is　one　other　thing　that　I　will　say　to　you；　in　this　relation。　It

is　but　my　opinion；　I　give　it　to　you　without　a　fee。　　It　is　my　opinion

that　it　is　for　you　to　take　him　or　be　defeated；　and　that　if　you　do

take　him　you　may　be　beaten。　　You　will　surely　be　beaten　if　you　do　not

take　him。　　We；　the　Republicans　and　others　forming　the　opposition　of

the　country；　intend　to　〃stand　by　our　guns；〃　to　be　patient　and　firm；

and　in　the　long　run　to　beat　you；　whether　you　take　him　or　not。　　We

know　that　before　we　fairly　beat　you　we　have　to　beat　you　both

together。　　We　know　that　you　are　〃all　of　a　feather；〃　and　that　we　have

to　beat　you　all　together；　and　we　expect　to　do　it。　　We　don't　intend　to

be　very　impatient　about　it。　　We　mean　to　be　as　deliberate　and　calm

about　it　as　it　is　possible　to　be；　but　as　firm　and　resolved　as　it　is

possible　for　men　to　be。　　When　we　do　as　we　say；beat　you；you

perhaps　want　to　know　what　we　will　do　with　you。



I　will　tell　you；　so　far　as　I　am　authorized　to　speak　for　the

opposition；　what　we　mean　to　do　with　you。　We　mean　to　treat　you；　as

near　as　we　possibly　can；　as　Washington；　Jefferson；　and　Madison

treated　y