按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
cted decision。 Douglas had hinted it in the Senate long before it was announced。 Pierce and Buchanan had proclaimed it before the Judges。 〃We cannot absolutely know that all these exact adaptations are the result of preconcert。 But when we see a lot of framed timbers； different portions of which we know have been gotten out at different times and different place； and by different workmen；Stephen； Franklin； Roger and James； for instance；and when we see these timbers all joined together and see they exactly make the frame of a house or mill； all the tenons and mortises exactly fitting； * * * * * we find it impossible not to believe that Stephen and Franklin and Roger and James all understood one another from the beginning and all worked upon a common plan or draft drawn up before the first blow was struck。〃
He repelled the suggestion made in some quarters that the Republicans ought to cease their fight on Douglas and rally to his support in his contest with the slavery propagandists。 He reminded them that the very essence of Republican faith was hostility to slavery； while Douglas frankly declared that he did not care whether it was voted up or voted down。 The cause must be entrusted to those whose hearts were in the work and who did care for the result。
On the 9th of July Douglas returned to Chicago and received a royal welcome。 A special train loaded with prominent citizens was dispatched to meet him。 On his arrival he was greeted with tumultuous applause。 He addressed the vast multitude from the balcony of the Tremont House。 Thirty thousand people are said to have gathered to hear him。 He was profoundly pleased by this splendid ovation so strikingly in contrast with the reception four years before； when his neighbors refused even to hear him in defense of his course。 Among the distinguished visitors on the speakers' stand sat Lincoln。
After thanking his audience for the enthusiastic reception； he plunged into the subject then uppermost in the public mind by rehearsing his relation to the whole Kansas problem。 He reminded them of his early and consistent devotion to popular sovereignty； which had been so utterly outraged by the Lecompton Constitution。 He assured his hearers； however； that his opposition to that Constitution arose from no sentimental morality and bore no relation to the ethics of slavery。 He insisted； not that it be good or just； but that it be submitted to a vote of the settlers。
He then addressed himself to Lincoln's Springfield speech。 He attacked his extreme doctrines with characteristic adroitness。 Lincoln's speech was of doubtful prudence as a campaign argument。 It really foreboded civil war or a peaceful dissolution of the Union。 While this alternative was； perhaps； inevitable； political expediency forbade its avowal。 Douglas declared the necessary result of his philosophy to be a war of sections； a war of the North against the South； of the free States against the slave States； to be continued relentlessly until the one or the other should be subdued and all should either become free States or all become slave States。 But this was not the true theory of the American Union。 The States differed widely in soil； climate； resources； tastes and habits。 Their laws and institutions were utterly unlike。 New Hampshire's laws were unfit for South Carolina； those of New York were not suited to the Pacific Coast。 Uniformity in local and domestic affairs would be destructive of State rights； State sovereignty and personal liberty。 Uniformity was the parent of despotism the world over。 The only way of attaining Lincoln's proposed uniformity would be to abolish State legislatures； blot out State sovereignty and merge the States into one consolidated empire。 But diversity； dissimilarity； variety in all their local and domestic institutions was the great safeguard of their liberties。 He insisted on reverently bowing to the Supreme Court as the authoritative expounder of the Constitution； rather than appealing from it to a tumultuous town meeting where constitutional questions arose。 The Federal Government was founded on the white basis。 It was made by white men； for the benefits of white men； to be administered by white men in such manner as they should determine。 Let each State decide for itself how it would treat the negroes and let its neighbors alone。
〃The issues between Mr。 Lincoln and myself；〃 he said； 〃are made up； * * * *。 He goes for uniformity in our domestic institutions； for a war of sections； until one or the other shall be subdued。 I go for * * * the right of the people to decide for themselves。 On the other hand Mr。 Lincoln goes for a warfare on the Supreme Court。 * * * * I yield obedience to the decisions of that Court。 * * * * I am opposed to negro equality。 I repeat that this nation is a white people； * * * * a people that have established this Government for themselves and their posterity。 * * * * I am opposed to taking any step that recognizes the negro man * * * as the equal of the white man。 I am opposed to giving him a voice in the administration of the Government。〃
The reception was recognized by the politicians of both parties as a great success。 It was a brilliant opening of the senatorial campaign。 The Republicans were anxious to counteract it。 On the following evening Lincoln spoke at the same place。 He had a large and enthusiastic audience。 But he was not an impromptu orator at all comparable to Douglas。 While his carefully prepared Springfield speech was decidedly better than Douglas' dashing address in Chicago； his unprepared speech was by no means equal to it。 The marked disparity between the two speeches must have intensified the suspicion among Lincoln's friends that he was no match for his rival on the stump。
On the 16th of July Douglas again spoke to a vast multitude at Bloomington。 He made an artful appeal for the Whig vote by a well turned compliment to 〃Kentucky's great and gallant statesman； John J。 Crittenden；〃 who proposed to refer the whole question back to the people of Kansas and thus 〃showed himself a worthy successor of the immortal Clay。〃 The Republicans had 〃endorsed the great principle of the Kansas…Nebraska bill；〃 they had 〃come to the Douglas platform in supporting the Crittenden…Montgomery bill。〃 The compromise of 1850 embodied the principle that every people ought to have the privilege of forming and regulating their own institutions to suit themselves。 Each State had that right and no reason existed why it should not be extended to the Territories。 The Illinois House of Representatives by an almost unanimous vote had asserted that the principle embodied in the measures of 1850 was the birth…right of free men； the gift of heaven； a principle vindicated by our Revolutionary fathers； that no limitation should ever be placed upon it either in the organization of a territorial government or the admission of a State into the Union。 In conformity with that principle he had brought in the Kansas…Nebraska bill； for which Lincoln and his friends were seeking his defeat。
〃I have known Lincoln well；〃 he said； 〃for a quarter of a century。 I have known him as you all know him； a kind…hearted； amiable gentleman； a right good fellow； a worthy citizen； of eminent ability as a lawyer； and； I have no doubt； sufficient ability to make a good Senator。〃
He examined Lincoln's 〃house divided…against…itself〃 philosophy； pointing out that the house had been divided for nearly seventy years and still stood。
〃How is Lincoln； if elected Senator； going to carry out that principle which he says is essential to the existence of this Union； that slavery must be abolished in all the States； or must be established in all？ * * * * He invites； by his proposition； a war between Illinois and Kentucky； a war between the free States and the slave States； a war between the North and the South； for the purpose of either exterminating slavery in every Southern State； or planting it in every Northern State。 * * * * * What man in Illinois would not lose the last drop if his heart's blood before he would submit to the institution of slavery being forced upon us by the other States against our will？ * * * What Southern man would not shed the la