the writings-4-第6章

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Constitution；　in　which　he　has　not　declared　that　we　are　just　at　the

end　of　the　slavery　agitation。　　But　in　one　speech；　I　think　last

winter；　he　did　say　that　he　did　n't　quite　see　when　the　end　of　the

slavery　agitation　would　come。　　Now　he　tells　us　again　that　it　is　all

over　and　the　people　of　Kansas　have　voted　down　the　Lecompton

Constitution。　　How　is　it　over？　　That　was　only　one　of　the　attempts　at

putting　an　end　to　the　slavery　agitationone　of　these　〃final

settlements。〃　　Is　Kansas　in　the　Union？　　Has　she　formed　a　constitution

that　she　is　likely　to　come　in　under？　　Is　not　the　slavery　agitation

still　an　open　question　in　that　Territory？　　Has　the　voting　down　of

that　constitution　put　an　end　to　all　the　trouble？　　Is　that　more　likely

to　settle　it　than　every　one　of　these　previous　attempts　to　settle　the

slavery　agitation？　　Now；　at　this　day　in　the　history　of　the　world　we

can　no　more　foretell　where　the　end　of　this　slavery　agitation　will　be

than　we　can　see　the　end　of　the　world　itself。　　The　Nebraska…Kansas

Bill　was　introduced　four　years　and　a　half　ago；　and　if　the　agitation

is　ever　to　come　to　an　end　we　may　say　we　are　four　years　and　a　half

nearer　the　end。　　So；　too；　we　can　say　we　are　four　years　and　a　half

nearer　the　end　of　the　world；　and　we　can　just　as　clearly　see　the　end

of　the　world　as　we　can　see　the　end　of　this　agitation。　　The　Kansas

settlement　did　not　conclude　it。　　If　Kansas　should　sink　to…day；　and

leave　a　great　vacant　space　in　the　earth's　surface；　this　vexed

question　would　still　be　among　us。　　I　say；　then；　there　is　no　way　of

putting　an　end　to　the　slavery　agitation　amongst　us　but　to　put　it　back

upon　the　basis　where　our　fathers　placed　it；　no　way　but　to　keep　it　out

of　our　new　Territories；to　restrict　it　forever　to　the　old　States

where　it　now　exists。　　Then　the　public　mind　will　rest　in　the　belief

that　it　is　in　the　course　of　ultimate　extinction。　　That　is　one　way　of

putting　an　end　to　the　slavery　agitation。



The　other　way　is　for　us　to　surrender　and　let　Judge　Douglas　and　his

friends　have　their　way　and　plant　slavery　over　all　the　States；　cease

speaking　of　it　as　in　any　way　a　wrong；　regard　slavery　as　one　of　the

common　matters　of　property；　and　speak　of　negroes　as　we　do　of　our

horses　and　cattle。　　But　while　it　drives　on　in　its　state　of　progress

as　it　is　now　driving；　and　as　it　has　driven　for　the　last　five　years；　I

have　ventured　the　opinion；　and　I　say　to…day；　that　we　will　have　no　end

to　the　slavery　agitation　until　it　takes　one　turn　or　the　other。　　I　do

not　mean　that　when　it　takes　a　turn　toward　ultimate　extinction　it　will

be　in　a　day；　nor　in　a　year；　nor　in　two　years。　　I　do　not　suppose　that

in　the　most　peaceful　way　ultimate　extinction　would　occur　in　less　than

a　hundred　years　at　least；　but　that　it　will　occur　in　the　best　way　for

both　races；　in　God's　own　good　time；　I　have　no　doubt。　　But；　my

friends；　I　have　used　up　more　of　my　time　than　I　intended　on　this

point。



Now；　in　regard　to　this　matter　about　Trumbull　and　myself　having　made　a

bargain　to　sell　out　the　entire　Whig　and　Democratic　parties　in　1854：

Judge　Douglas　brings　forward　no　evidence　to　sustain　his　charge；

except　the　speech　Matheny　is　said　to　have　made　in　1856；　in　which　he

told　a　cock…and…bull　story　of　that　sort；　upon　the　same　moral

principles　that　Judge　Douglas　tells　it　here　to…day。　　This　is　the

simple　truth。　　I　do　not　care　greatly　for　the　story；　but　this　is　the

truth　of　it：　and　I　have　twice　told　Judge　Douglas　to　his　face　that

from　beginning　to　end　there　is　not　one　word　of　truth　in　it。　　I　have

called　upon　him　for　the　proof；　and　he　does　not　at　all　meet　me　as

Trumbull　met　him　upon　that　of　which　we　were　just　talking；　by

producing　the　record。　　He　did　n't　bring　the　record　because　there　was

no　record　for　him　to　bring。　　When　he　asks　if　I　am　ready　to　indorse

Trumbull's　veracity　after　he　has　broken　a　bargain　with　me；　I　reply

that　if　Trumbull　had　broken　a　bargain　with　me　I　would　not　be　likely

to　indorse　his　veracity；　but　I　am　ready　to　indorse　his　veracity

because　neither　in　that　thing；　nor　in　any　other；　in　all　the　years

that　I　have　known　Lyman　Trumbull；　have　I　known　him　to　fail　of　his

word　or　tell　a　falsehood　large　or　small。　　It　is　for　that　reason　that

I　indorse　Lyman　Trumbull。



＇Mr。　JAMES　BROWN　（Douglas　postmaster）：　〃What　does　Ford's　History　say

about　him？〃＇



Some　gentleman　asks　me　what　Ford's　History　says　about　him。　　My　own

recollection　is　that　Ford　speaks　of　Trumbull　in　very　disrespectful

terms　in　several　portions　of　his　book；　and　that　he　talks　a　great　deal

worse　of　Judge　Douglas。　　I　refer　you；　sir；　to　the　History　for

examination。



Judge　Douglas　complains　at　considerable　length　about　a　disposition　on

the　part　of　Trumbull　and　myself　to　attack　him　personally。　　I　want　to

attend　to　that　suggestion　a　moment。　　I　don't　want　to　be　unjustly

accused　of　dealing　illiberally　or　unfairly　with　an　adversary；　either

in　court　or　in　a　political　canvass　or　anywhere　else。　　I　would　despise

myself　if　I　supposed　myself　ready　to　deal　less　liberally　with　an

adversary　than　I　was　willing　to　be　treated　myself。　　Judge　Douglas　in

a　general　way；　without　putting　it　in　a　direct　shape；　revives　the　old

charge　against　me　in　reference　to　the　Mexican　War。　　He　does　not　take

the　responsibility　of　putting　it　in　a　very　definite　form；　but　makes　a

general　reference　to　it。　　That　charge　is　more　than　ten　years　old。　　He

complains　of　Trumbull　and　myself　because　he　says　we　bring　charges

against　him　one　or　two　years　old。　　He　knows；　too；　that　in　regard　to

the　Mexican　War　story　the　more　respectable　papers　of　his　own　party

throughout　the　State　have　been　compelled　to　take　it　back　and

acknowledge　that　it　was　a　lie。



＇Here　Mr。　LINCOLN　turned　to　the　crowd　on　the　platform；　and；　selecting

HON。　ORLANDO　B。　FICKLIN；　led　him　forward　and　said：＇



I　do　not　mean　to　do　anything　with　Mr。　FICKLIN　except　to　present　his

face　and　tell　you　that　he　personal1y　knows　it　to　be　a　lie！　　He　was　a

member　of　Congress　at　the　only　time　I　was　in　Congress；　and　＇FICKLIN＇

knows　that　whenever　there　was　an　attempt　to　procure　a　vote　of　mine

which　would　indorse　the　origin　and　justice　of　the　war；　I　refused　to

give　such　indorsement　and　voted　against　it；　but　I　never　voted　against

the　supplies　for　the　army；　and　he　knows；　as　well　as　Judge　Douglas；

that　whenever　a　dollar　was　asked　by　way　of　compensation　or　otherwise

for　the　benefit　of　the　soldiers　I　gave　all　the　votes　that　FICKLIN　or

Douglas　did；　and　perhaps　more。



＇Mr。　FICKLIN：　My　friends；　I　wish　to　say　this　in　reference　to　the

matter：　Mr。　Lincoln　and　myself　are　just　as　good　personal　friends　as

Judge　Douglas　and　myself。　　In　reference　to　this　Mexican　War；　my

recollection　is　that　when　Ashmun's　resolution　＇amendment＇　was　offered

by　Mr。　Ashmun　of　Massachusetts；　in　which　he　declared　that　the　Mexican

War　was　unnecessary　and　unconstitutionally　commenced　by　the　President

…my　recollection　is　that　Mr。　Lincoln　voted　for　that　resolution。＇



That　is　the　truth。　　Now；　you　all　remember　that　was　a　resolution

censuring　the　President　for　the　manner　in　which　the　war　was　begun。

You　know　they　have　charged　that　I　voted　against　the　supplies；　by

which　I　starved　the　soldiers　who　were　out　fighting　the　battles　of

their　country。　　I　say　that　FICKLIN　knows　it　is　false。　　When　that

charge　was　brought　forward　by　the　Chicago　Times；　the　Springfield

Register　＇Douglas's　organ＇　reminded　the　Times　that　the　charge　really

applied　to　John　Henry；　and　I　do　know　that　John　Henry　is　now　making

speeches　and　fiercely　battling　for　Judge　Douglas。　　If　the　Judge　now

says　that　he　offers　this　as　a　sort　of　setoff　to　what　I　said　to…day　in

reference　to　Trumbull's　charge；　then　I　remind　him　that　he　made　this

charge　before　I　said　a　word　about　Trumbull's。　　He　brought　this

forward　at　Ottawa；　the　first　time　we　met　face　to　face；　and　in　the

opening　speech　that　Judge　Douglas　made　he　attacked　me　in　regard　to　a

matter　ten　years　old。　　Is　n't　he　a　pretty　man　to　be　whining　about

people　making　charges　against　him　only　two　years　old！



The　Judge　thinks　it　is　altogether