the writings-2-第35章
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to misrepresent you and embarrass the real testimony you may
ultimately give。 It may be six months or a year before you are
called on to testify。
Respectfully；
A。 LINCOLN。
1854
TO O。 L。 DAVIS。
SPRINGFIELD； June 22； 1854。
O。 L。 DAVIS； ESQ。
DEAR SIR：You； no doubt； remember the enclosed memorandum being
handed me in your office。 I have just made the desired search；
and find that no such deed has ever been here。 Campbell； the
auditor； says that if it were here； it would be in his office；
and that he has hunted for it a dozen times； and could never find
it。 He says that one time and another； he has heard much about
the matter； that it was not a deed for Right of Way； but a deed；
outright； for Depot…groundat least； a sale for Depot…ground；
and there may never have been a deed。 He says； if there is a
deed； it is most probable General Alexander； of Paris； has it。
Yours truly；
A。 LINCOLN。
NEBRASKA MEASURE
TO J。 M。 PALMER
＇Confidential＇
SPRINGFIELD； Sept。 7； 1854。
HON。 J。 M。 PALMER。
DEAR SIR：You know how anxious I am that this Nebraska measure
shall be rebuked and condemned everywhere。 Of course I hope
something from your position； yet I do not expect you to do
anything which may be wrong in your own judgment； nor would I
have you do anything personally injurious to yourself。 You are；
and always have been； honestly and sincerely a Democrat； and I
know how painful it must be to an honest； sincere man to be urged
by his party to the support of a measure which in his conscience
he believes to be wrong。 You have had a severe struggle with
yourself； and you have determined not to swallow the wrong。 Is
it not just to yourself that you should； in a few public
speeches； state your reasons； and thus justify yourself？ I wish
you would； and yet I say； don't do it； if you think it will
injure you。 You may have given your word to vote for Major
Harris； and if so； of course you will stick to it。 But allow me
to suggest that you should avoid speaking of this； for it
probably would induce some of your friends in like manner to cast
their votes。 You understand。 And now let me beg your pardon for
obtruding this letter upon you； to whom I have ever been opposed
in politics。 Had your party omitted to make Nebraska a test of
party fidelity； you probably would have been the Democratic
candidate for Congress in the district。 You deserved it； and I
believe it would have been given you。 In that case I should have
been quite happy that Nebraska was to be rebuked at all events。
I still should have voted for the Whig candidate； but I should
have made no speeches； written no letters； and you would have
been elected by at least a thousand majority。
Yours truly；
A。 LINCOLN。
TO A。 B。 MOREAU。
SPRINGFIELD； September 7； 1854
A。 B。 MOREAU； ESQ。
SIR：Stranger though I am； personally； being a brother in the
faith； I venture to write you。 Yates can not come to your court
next week。 He is obliged to be at Pike court where he has a
case； with a fee of five hundred dollars； two hundred dollars
already paid。 To neglect it would be unjust to himself； and
dishonest to his client。 Harris will be with you； head up and
tail up； for Nebraska。 You must have some one to make an anti…
Nebraska speech。 Palmer is the best； if you can get him； I
think。 Jo。 Gillespie； if you can not get Palmer； and somebody
anyhow； if you can get neither。 But press Palmer hard。 It is in
his Senatorial district； I believe。
Yours etc。；
A。 LINCOLN。
REPLY TO SENATOR DOUGLASPEORIA SPEECH
SPEECH AT PEORIA； ILLINOIS；
IN REPLY TO SENATOR DOUGLAS；
OCTOBER 16； 1854。
I do not rise to speak now； if I can stipulate with the audience
to meet me here at half…past six or at seven o'clock。 It is now
several minutes past five； and Judge Douglas has spoken over
three hours。 If you hear me at all； I wish you to hear me
through。 It will take me as long as it has taken him。 That will
carry us beyond eight o'clock at night。 Now； every one of you
who can remain that long can just as well get his supper； meet me
at seven； and remain an hour or two later。 The Judge has already
informed you that he is to have an hour to reply to me。 I doubt
not but you have been a little surprised to learn that I have
consented to give one of his high reputation and known ability
this advantage of me。 Indeed； my consenting to it； though
reluctant； was not wholly unselfish； for I suspected； if it were
understood that the Judge was entirely done； you Democrats would
leave and not hear me； but by giving him the close； I felt
confident you would stay for the fun of hearing him skin me。
The audience signified their assent to the arrangement； and
adjourned to seven o'clock P。M。； at which time they reassembled；
and Mr。 Lincoln spoke substantially as follows：
The repeal of the Missouri Compromise； and the propriety of its
restoration； constitute the subject of what I am about to say。
As I desire to present my own connected view of this subject； my
remarks will not be specifically an answer to Judge Douglas； yet；
as I proceed； the main points he has presented will arise； and
will receive such respectful attention as I may be able to give
them。 I wish further to say that I do not propose to question
the patriotism or to assail the motives of any man or class of
men； but rather to confine myself strictly to the naked merits of
the question。 I also wish to be no less than national in all the
positions I may take； and whenever I take ground which others
have thought； or may think； narrow； sectional； and dangerous to
the Union； I hope to give a reason which will appear sufficient；
at least to some； why I think differently。
And as this subject is no other than part and parcel of the
larger general question of domestic slavery； I wish to make and
to keep the distinction between the existing institution and the
extension of it so broad and so clear that no honest man can
misunderstand me； and no dishonest one successfully misrepresent
me。
In order to a clear understanding of what the Missouri Compromise
is； a short history of the preceding kindred subjects will
perhaps be proper。
When we established our independence； we did not own or claim the
country to which this compromise applies。 Indeed； strictly
speaking； the Confederacy then owned no country at all； the
States respectively owned the country within their limits； and
some of them owned territory beyond their strict State limits。
Virginia thus owned the Northwestern Territorythe country out
of which the principal part of Ohio； all Indiana； all Illinois；
all Michigan； and all Wisconsin have since been formed。 She also
owned （perhaps within her then limits） what has since been formed
into the State of Kentucky。 North Carolina thus owned what is
now the State of Tennessee； and South Carolina and Georgia owned；
in separate parts； what are now Mississippi and Alabama。
Connecticut； I think； owned the little remaining part of Ohio；
being the same where they now send Giddings to Congress and beat
all creation in making cheese。
These territories； together with the States themselves；
constitute all the country over which the Confederacy then
claimed any sort of jurisdiction。 We were then living under the
Articles of Confederation； which were superseded by the
Constitution several years afterward。 The question of ceding the
territories to the General Government was set on foot。 Mr。
Jefferson；the author of the Declaration of Independence； and
otherwise a chief actor in the Revolution； then a delegate in
Congress； afterward； twice President； who was； is； and perhaps
will continue to be； the most distinguished politician of our
history； a Virginian by birth and continued residence； and wi
