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r the United States Senate and it is possible that； if he should be elected； he would have to vote directly on that question。 He dodges it also under the cover that he was not on the Committee。 * * * He knows I will trot him down to Egypt。 I intend to make him answer there。 * * * The Convention to which I have been alluding pledges itself to exclude slavery from all the Territories。 * * * I want to know whether he approves that provision。 * * * I want to know whether he will resist the acquirement of any more territory； unless slavery therein shall be prohibited。 These are practical questions； based upon the fundamental principles of the black Republican party； and I want to know whether he is the first； last and only choice of a party with whom he does not agree in principle。
〃He does not deny but that that principle was unanimously adopted by the Republican party； and now I want to know whether that party is unanimously in favor of a man who does not adopt that creed and agree with them in their principles； I want to know whether the man who does not agree with them and who is afraid to avow his differences is the first； last and only choice of the party。 * * * The party stands pledged that they will never support Lincoln until he has pledged himself to that platform； but he cannot devise his answer。 He has not made up his mind whether he will or not。 * * * I have not brought a charge of moral turpitude against him。 When he brings one against me； instead of disproving it I will say that it is a lie and let him prove it if he can。 * * *
〃Mr。 Lincoln has not character enough for integrity and truth merely on his own ipse dixit to arraign President Buchanan； President Pierce and nine Judges of the Supreme Court； not one of whom would be complimented by being put on an equality with him。 There is an unpardonable presumption in any man putting himself up before thousands of people and pretending that his ipse dixit； without proof； without fact and without truth； is enough to bring down and destroy the purest and best of living men。 * * * The word 'State' as well as 'Territory' was put into the Nebraska bill to knock in the head this Abolition doctrine that there will be no more slave States even if the people want them。 * * * The people of Missouri formed a Constitution as a slave State and asked admission into the Union； but the Free Soil party of the North； being in a majority； refused to admit her because she had slavery as one of her institutions。 Hence； the first slavery agitation arouse upon a State and not upon a Territory。 * * * The whole Abolition agitation arose on that doctrine of prohibiting a State from coming in with slavery or not as it pleased； and that same doctrine is here in this Republican platform of 1854。〃
The peculiar difficult of meeting Douglas in argument before a popular audience is here exhibited in its most perfect form。 The persuasive force of his last proposition lay in a most ingenious play on the words 〃State〃 and 〃Territory。〃 Although the people of Missouri had formed 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