the life of stephen a. douglas-第28部分

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ormed　a　State　Constitution；　they　did　not　become　a　State　until　Congress　approved　it　and　formally　admitted　them。　During　the　entire　period　of　dispute　they　continued　a　Territory。　Douglas'　argument　assumes　that　they　became　a　State　on　forming　a　Constitution。





Chapter　XV。　　The　Debates　with　Lincoln　Continued。




The　second　debate　was　held　at　Freeport　on　August　27th。　　Lincoln　opened　his　speech　with　a　series　of　answers　to　the　questions　asked　at　Ottawa。

〃I　do　not；〃　he　said；　*　*　*　〃stand　in　favor　of　the　unconditional　repeal　of　the　Fugitive　Slave　law。　　*　*　*

〃I　do　not　*　*　*　stand　pledged　against　the　admission　of　any　more　slave　States　into　the　Union。　　*　*　*　*

〃I　do　not　stand　pledged　against　the　admission　of　a　new　State。　　*　*　*　with　such　a　Constitutions　as　the　people　*　*　*　may　see　fit　to　make。　　*　*　*

〃I　do　not　stand　pledged　to　the　abolition　of　slavery　in　the　District　of　Columbia。　*　*　*

〃I'm　impliedly；　if　not　expressly；　pledged　to　a　belief　in　the　right　and　duty　of　Congress　to　prohibit　slavery　in　all　the　United　States　Territories。　　*　*　*

〃I　am　not　opposed　to　the　honest　acquisition　of　territory。　　*　*　*　I　would　or　would　not　oppose　such　acquisition　accordingly　as　I　might　think　such　acquisition　would　or　would　not　aggravate　the　slavery　question　among　ourselves。〃

The　questions　asked　and　answered　were；　whether　he　was　PLEDGED　to　any　of　these　things。　　He　was　willing；　however；　to　state　what　he　really　thought　of　them。

〃I　do　not　hesitate　to　say　that　*　*　*　under　the　Constitution　of　the　United　States　the　people　of　the　Southern　States　are　entitled　to　a　Congressional　Fugitive　Slave　Law。　　*　*　*　The　existing　Fugitive　Slave　Law　should　have　been　so　framed　as　to　be　free　from　some　of　the　objections　that　pertain　to　it　without　lessening　its　efficiency。　　*　*　*　*　In　regard　to　the　admission　of　any　more　slave　States　into　the　Union；　I　state　to　you　frankly　that　I　would　be　exceedingly　sorry　ever　to　be　put　in　a　position　of　having　to　pass　upon　that　question。　I　should　be　exceedingly　glad　to　know　that　there　would　never　be　another　slave　State　admitted　into　the　Union；　but　I　must　add　that；　if　slavery　be　kept　out　of　the　Territories　during　their　territorial　existence；　*　*　*　*　and　then　the　people　shall　*　*　*　adopt　a　slave　Constitution；　*　*　*　I　see　no　alternative　but　to　admit　them　into　the　Union。　　*　*　*　I　should　not　be　in　favor　of　abolishing　slavery　in　the　District　of　Columbia；　unless　upon　the　condition　that　abolition　should　be　gradual；　that　it　should　be　on　the　vote　of　a　majority　of　the　qualified　voters　of　the　District；　and　that　compensation　be　made　to　unwilling　owners。　　*　*　*　What　I　am　saying　here　I　suppose　I　say　to　a　vast　audience　as　strongly　tending　to　Abolitionism　as　any　audience　in　the　State　of　Illinois；　and　I　believe　I　am　saying　that　which；　if　it　would　be　offensive　to　any　persons　and　render　them　enemies　to　myself；　would　be　offensive　to　persons　in　this　audience。〃　He　then　asked　Douglas　four　questions：

1st。　　〃If　the　people　of　Kansas　shall　*　*　*　adopt　a　State　Constitution　and　ask　admission　*　*　*　*　before　they　have　the　requisite　number　of　inhabitants　under　the　English　bill；　*　*　*　will　you　vote　to　admit　them？

2nd。　　〃Can　the　people　of　a　*　*　*　Territory　in　any　lawful　way；　against　the　wish　of　any　citizen；　*　*　*　exclude　slavery　from　its　limits　prior　to　the　formation　of　a　State　Constitution？

3rd。　　〃If　the　Supreme　Court　*　*　*　*　shall　decide　that　States　cannot　exclude　slavery　from　their　limits；　are　you　in　favor　of　acquiescing　in；　adopting　and　following　such　decision　as　a　rule　of　political　action？

4th。　　〃Are　you　in　favor　of　acquiring　additional　territory　in　disregard　of　how　such　action　may　affect　the　Nation　on　the　slavery　question？

When　the　Nebraska　bill　was　introduced；　he　continued；　it　was　declared　the　intent　and　meaning　of　the　act　not　to　legislate　slavery　into　any　State　or　Territory　or　to　exclude　it　therefrom；　but　to　leave　the　people　perfectly　free　to　regulate　their　own　domestic　institutions　in　their　own　way。　　Chase　of　Ohio　introduced　an　amendment　expressly　declaring　that　the　people　of　a　Territory　should　have　the　power　to　exclude　slavery　if　they　saw　fit。　　Douglas　and　those　who　agreed　with　him；　voted　it　down。　　A　little　later　the　Supreme　Court　decided　that　a　territorial　legislature　had　no　right　to　exclude　slavery。

〃For　men　who　did　intend　that　the　people　of　the　Territory　should　have　the　right　to　exclude　slavery　*　*　*　*　the　voting　down　of　Chase's　amendment　is　wholly　inexplicable。　　It　is　a　puzzle；　a　riddle。　　But　*　*　*　with　men　who　did　look　forward　to　such　a　decision　*　*　*　*

the　voting　down　of　that　amendment　would　be　perfectly　rational　and　intelligible。　　It　would　keep　Congress　from　coming　into　collision　with　the　decision　when　it　was　made。　　*　*　*　If　there　was　an　intention　or　expectation　that　such　a　decision　was　to　follow；　it　would　not　be　very　desirable　for　the　Democratic　Supreme　Court　to　decide　one　way　when　the　party　in　Congress　had　decided　the　other。　　Hence　it　would　be　very　rational　for　men　expecting　such　a　decision　to　keep　the　niche　in　that　law　clear　for　it。　　*　*　*　It　looks　to　me　as　though　here　was　the　reason　why　Chase's　amendment　was　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；