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Before　this　I　reminded　him　that　at　Galesburgh　he　said　the　judges　had

expressly　declared　the　contrary；　and　you　remember　that　in　my　Opening

speech　I　told　him　I　had　the　book　containing　that　decision　here；　and　I

would　thank　him　to　lay　his　finger　on　the　place　where　any　such　thing

was　said。　　He　has　occupied　his　hour　and　a　half；　and　he　has　not

ventured　to　try　to　sustain　his　assertion。　　He　never　will。　　But　he　is

desirous　of　knowing　how　we　are　going　to　reverse　that　Dred　Scott

decision。　　Judge　Douglas　ought　to　know　how。　　Did　not　he　and　his

political　friends　find　a　way　to　reverse　the　decision　of　that　same

court　in　favor　of　the　constitutionality　of　the　National　Bank？　　Didn't

they　find　a　way　to　do　it　so　effectually　that　they　have　reversed　it　as

completely　as　any　decision　ever　was　reversed；　so　far　as　its　practical

operation　is　concerned？



And　let　me　ask　you；　did　n't　Judge　Douglas　find　a　way　to　reverse　the

decision　of　our　Supreme　Court　when　it　decided　that　Carlin's　father

old　Governor　Carlin　had　not　the　constitutional　power　to　remove　a

Secretary　of　State？　　Did　he　not　appeal　to　the　〃MOBS；〃　as　he　calls

them？　　Did　he　not　make　speeches　in　the　lobby　to　show　how　villainous

that　decision　was；　and　how　it　ought　to　be　overthrown？　　Did　he　not

succeed；　too；　in　getting　an　act　passed　by　the　Legislature　to　have　it

overthrown？　　And　did　n't　he　himself　sit　down　on　that　bench　as　one　of

the　five　added　judges；　who　were　to　overslaugh　the　four　old　ones；

getting　his　name　of　〃judge〃　in　that　way；　and　no　other？　　If　there　is　a

villainy　in　using　disrespect　or　making　opposition　to　Supreme　Court

decisions；　I　commend　it　to　Judge　Douglas's　earnest　consideration。　　I

know　of　no　man　in　the　State　of　Illinois　who　ought　to　know　so　well

about　how　much　villainy　it　takes　to　oppose　a　decision　of　the　Supreme

Court　as　our　honorable　friend　Stephen　A。　　Douglas。



Judge　Douglas　also　makes　the　declaration　that　I　say　the　Democrats　are

bound　by　the　Dred　Scott　decision；　while　the　Republicans　are　not。　　In

the　sense　in　which　he　argues；　I　never　said　it；　but　I　will　tell　you

what　I　have　said　and　what　I　do　not　hesitate　to　repeat　to…day。　　I　have

said　that　as　the　Democrats　believe　that　decision　to　be　correct；　and

that　the　extension　of　slavery　is　affirmed　in　the　National

Constitution；　they　are　bound　to　support　it　as　such；　and　I　will　tell

you　here　that　General　Jackson　once　said　each　man　was　bound　to　support

the　Constitution　〃as　he　understood　it。〃　　Now；　Judge　Douglas

understands　the　Constitution　according　to　the　Dred　Scott　decision；

and　he　is　bound　to　support　it　as　he　understands　it。　　I　understand　it

another　way；　and　therefore　I　am　bound　to　support　it　in　the　way　in

which　I　understand　it。　　And　as　Judge　Douglas　believes　that　decision

to　be　correct；　I　will　remake　that　argument　if　I　have　time　to　do　so。

Let　me　talk　to　some　gentleman　down　there　among　you　who　looks　me　in

the　face。　　We　will　say　you　are　a　member　of　the　Territorial

Legislature；　and；　like　Judge　Douglas；　you　believe　that　the　right　to

take　and　hold　slaves　there　is　a　constitutional　right　The　first　thing

you　do　is　to　swear　you　will　support　the　Constitution1；　and　all　rights

guaranteed　therein；　that　you　will；　whenever　your　neighbor　needs　your

legislation　to　support　his　constitutional　rights；　not　withhold　that

legislation。　　If　you　withhold　that　necessary　legislation　for　the

support　of　the　Constitution　and　constitutional　rights；　do　you　not

commit　perjury？　　I　ask　every　sensible　man　if　that　is　not　so？　　That　is

undoubtedly　just　so；　say　what　you　please。　　Now；　that　is　precisely

what　Judge　Douglas　says；　that　this　is　a　constitutional　right。　　Does

the　Judge　mean　to　say　that　the　Territorial　Legislature　in　legislating

may；　by　withholding　necessary　laws；　or　by　passing　unfriendly　laws；

nullify　that　constitutional　right？　　Does　he　mean　to　say　that？　　Does

he　mean　to　ignore　the　proposition　so　long　and　well　established　in

law；　that　what　you　cannot　do　directly；　you　cannot　do　indirectly？

Does　he　mean　that？　　The　truth　about　the　matter　is　this：　Judge　Douglas

has　sung　paeans　to　his　〃Popular　Sovereignty〃　doctrine　until　his

Supreme　Court；　co…operating　with　him；　has　squatted　his　Squatter

Sovereignty　out。　　But　he　will　keep　up　this　species　of　humbuggery

about　Squatter　Sovereignty。　　He　has　at　last　invented　this　sort　of

do…nothing　sovereignty；that　the　people　may　exclude　slavery　by　a

sort　of　〃sovereignty〃　that　is　exercised　by　doing　nothing　at　all。　　Is

not　that　running　his　Popular　Sovereignty　down　awfully？　　Has　it　not

got　down　as　thin　as　the　homeopathic　soup　that　was　made　by　boiling　the

shadow　of　a　pigeon　that　had　starved　to　death？　　But　at　last；　when　it

is　brought　to　the　test　of　close　reasoning；　there　is　not　even　that

thin　decoction　of　it　left。　　It　is　a　presumption　impossible　in　the

domain　of　thought。　　It　is　precisely　no　other　than　the　putting　of　that

most　unphilosophical　proposition；　that　two　bodies　can　occupy　the　same

space　at　the　same　time。　　The　Dred　Scott　decision　covers　the　whole

ground；　and　while　it　occupies　it；　there　is　no　room　even　for　the

shadow　of　a　starved　pigeon　to　occupy　the　same　ground。



Judge　Douglas；　in　reply　to　what　I　have　said　about　having　upon　a

previous　occasion　made　the　speech　at　Ottawa　as　the　one　he　took　an

extract　from　at　Charleston；　says　it　only　shows　that　I　practiced　the

deception　twice。　　Now；　my　friends；　are　any　of　you　obtuse　enough　to

swallow　that？　　Judge　Douglas　had　said　I　had　made　a　speech　at

Charleston　that　I　would　not　make　up　north；　and　I　turned　around　and

answered　him　by　showing　I　had　made　that　same　speech　up　north；had

made　it　at　Ottawa；　made　it　in　his　hearing；　made　it　in　the　Abolition

District；in　Lovejoy's　District；in　the　personal　presence　of

Lovejoy　himself；in　the　same　atmosphere　exactly　in　which　I　had　made

my　Chicago　speech；　of　which　he　complains　so　much。



Now；　in　relation　to　my　not　having　said　anything　about　the　quotation

from　the　Chicago　speech：　he　thinks　that　is　a　terrible　subject　for　me

to　handle。　　Why；　gentlemen；　I　can　show　you　that　the　substance　of　the

Chicago　speech　I　delivered　two　years　ago　in　〃Egypt；〃　as　he　calls　it。

It　was　down　at　Springfield。　　That　speech　is　here　in　this　book；　and　I

could　turn　to　it　and　read　it　to　you　but　for　the　lack　of　time。　　I　have

not　now　the　time　to　read　it。　　＇〃Read　it；　read　it。〃＇　No；　gentlemen；　I

am　obliged　to　use　discretion　in　disposing　most　advantageously　of　my

brief　time。　　The　Judge　has　taken　great　exception　to　my　adopting　the

heretical　statement　in　the　Declaration　of　Independence；　that　〃all　men

are　created　equal；〃　and　he　has　a　great　deal　to　say　about　negro

equality。　　I　want　to　say　that　in　sometimes　alluding　to　the

Declaration　of　Independence；　I　have　only　uttered　the　sentiments　that

Henry　Clay　used　to　hold。　　Allow　me　to　occupy　your　time　a　moment　with

what　he　said。　　Mr。　Clay　was　at　one　time　called　upon　in　Indiana；　and

in　a　way　that　I　suppose　was　very　insulting；　to　liberate　his　slaves；

and　he　made　a　written　reply　to　that　application；　and　one　portion　of

it　is　in　these　words：



〃What　is　the　foundation　of　this　appeal　to　me　in　Indiana　to　liberate

the　slaves　under　my　care　in　Kentucky？　　It　is　a　general　declaration　in

the　act　announcing　to　the　world　the　independence　of　the　thirteen

American　colonies；　that　men　are　created　equal。　　Now；　as　an　abstract

principle；　there　is　no　doubt　of　the　truth　of　that　declaration；　and　it

is　desirable　in　the　original　construction　of　society；　and　in

organized　societies；　to　keep　it　in　view　as　a　great　fundamental

principle。〃



When　I　sometimes；　in　relation　to　the　organization　of　new　societies　in

new　countries；　where　the　soil　is　clean　and　clear；　insisted　that　we

should　keep　that　principle　in　view；　Judge　Douglas　will　have　it　that　I

want　a　negro　wife。　　He　never　can　be　brought　to　understand　that　there

is　any　middle　ground　on　this　subject。　　I　have　lived　until　my　fiftieth

year；　and　have　never　had　a　negro　woman　either　for　a　slave　or　a　wife；

and　I　think　I　can　live　fifty　centuries；　for　that　matter；　without

having　had　one　for　either。　　I　maintain　that　you　may　take　Judge

Douglas's　quotations　from　my　Chicago　speech；　and　from　my　Charleston

speech；　and　the　Galesburgh　speech；in　his　speech　of　to…day；and

compare　them　over；　and　I　am　willing　to　trust　them　with　you　upon　his

proposition　that　they　show　rascality　or　double…dealing。　　I　deny　that

they　do。



The　Judge　does　not　seem　at　all　disposed　to　have　peace；　but　I　find　he

is　disposed　to　have　a　personal　warfare　with　me。　　He　says　that　my　oath

would　not　be　taken　against　the　bare　word　of　Charles　H。　　Lanphier　or

Thomas　L。　　Harris。　　Well；　that　is　altogether　a　matter　of　opinion。　　It

is　certainly　not　for　me　to　vaunt　my　word　against　oaths　of　these

gentlemen；　but　I　will　tell　Judge　Douglas　again　the　facts　upon　which　I

〃dared〃　to　say　they　proved　a　forgery。　　I　pointed　out　at　Galesburgh

that　the　publication　of　these　resolutions　in　the　Illinois　State

Register　could　not　have　been　the　result　of　accident；　as　the

proceedings　of　that　meeting　bore　unmistakable　evidence　of　being　done

by　a　man　who　knew　it　was　a　forgery；　that　it　was　a　publication　partly

taken　from　the　real　proceedings　of　the　Convention；　and　partly　from

the　proceedings　of　a　convention　at　another　place；　which　showed　that

he　had　the　real　proceedings　before　him；　and　taking　one　part　of　the

resolutions；　he　threw　out　another　part；　and　substituted　false　and

fraudulent　ones　in　their　stead。　　I　pointed　that　out　to　him；　and　also

that　his　friend　Lanphier；　who　was　editor　of　the　Register　at　that　time

and　now　is；　must　have　known　how　it　was　done。　　Now；　whether　he　did　it；

or　got　some　friend　to　do　it　for　him；　I　could　not　tell；　but　he

certainly　knew　all　about　it。　　I　pointed　out　to　Judge　Douglas　that　in

his　Freeport　speech　he　had　　promised　to　investigate　that　matter。

Does　he　now　say　that　he　did　not　make　that　promise？　　　I　have　a　right

to　ask　why　he　did　not　keep　it。　　I　call　upon　him　to　tell　here　to…day

why　he　did　not　keep　that　promise？　　That　fraud　has　been　traced　up　so

that　it　lies　between　him；　Harris；　and