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reassembled at Springfield； in State Convention； and adopted again
their platform； as I suppose not differing in any essential
particular from either of the former ones； but perhaps adding
something in relation to the new developments of political progress
in the country。
The Convention that assembled in June last did me the honor； if it be
one； and I esteem it such； to nominate me as their candidate for the
United States Senate。 I have supposed that； in entering upon this
canvass； I stood generally upon these platforms。 We are now met
together on the 13th of October of the same year； only four months
from the adoption of the last platform； and I am unaware that in this
canvass； from the beginning until to…day； any one of our adversaries
has taken hold of our platforms； or laid his finger upon anything
that he calls wrong in them。
In the very first one of these joint discussions between Senator
Douglas and myself； Senator Douglas； without alluding at all to these
platforms； or any one of them； of which I have spoken； attempted to
hold me responsible for a set of resolutions passed long before the
meeting of either one of these conventions of which I have spoken。
And as a ground for holding me responsible for these resolutions； he
assumed that they had been passed at a State Convention of the
Republican party； and that I took part in that Convention。 It was
discovered afterward that this was erroneous； that the resolutions
which he endeavored to hold me responsible for had not been passed by
any State Convention anywhere； had not been passed at Springfield；
where he supposed they had； or assumed that they had； and that they
had been passed in no convention in which I had taken part。 The
Judge； nevertheless； was not willing to give up the point that he was
endeavoring to make upon me； and he therefore thought to still hold
me to the point that he was endeavoring to make； by showing that the
resolutions that he read had been passed at a local convention in the
northern part of the State； although it was not a local convention
that embraced my residence at all； nor one that reached； as I
suppose； nearer than one hundred and fifty or two hundred miles of
where I was when it met； nor one in which I took any part at all。 He
also introduced other resolutions； passed at other meetings； and by
combining the whole； although they were all antecedent to the two
State Conventions and the one National Convention I have mentioned；
still he insisted； and now insists； as I understand； that I am in
some way responsible for them。
At Jonesboro； on our third meeting； I insisted to the Judge that I
was in no way rightfully held responsible for the proceedings of this
local meeting or convention； in which I had taken no part； and in
which I was in no way embraced； but I insisted to him that if he
thought I was responsible for every man or every set of men
everywhere； who happen to be my friends； the rule ought to work both
ways； and he ought to be responsible for the acts and resolutions of
all men or sets of men who were or are now his supporters and
friends； and gave him a pretty long string of resolutions； passed by
men who are now his friends； and announcing doctrines for which he
does not desire to be held responsible。
This still does not satisfy Judge Douglas。 He still adheres to his
proposition； that I am responsible for what some of my friends in
different parts of the State have done； but that he is not
responsible for what his have done。 At least； so I understand him。
But in addition to that； the Judge； at our meeting in Galesburgh；
last week； undertakes to establish that I am guilty of a species of
double dealing with the public； that I make speeches of a certain
sort in the north； among the Abolitionists； which I would not make in
the south； and that I make speeches of a certain sort in the south
which I would not make in the north。 I apprehend； in the course I
have marked out for myself； that I shall not have to dwell at very
great length upon this subject。
As this was done in the Judge's opening speech at Galesburgh； I had
an opportunity； as I had the middle speech then； of saying something
in answer to it。 He brought forward a quotation or two from a speech
of mine delivered at Chicago； and then； to contrast with it； he
brought forward an extract from a speech of mine at Charleston； in
which he insisted that I was greatly inconsistent； and insisted that
his conclusion followed； that I was playing a double part； and
speaking in one region one way； and in another region another way。 I
have not time now to dwell on this as long as I would like； and wish
only now to requote that portion of my speech at Charleston which the
Judge quoted； and then make some comments upon it。 This he quotes
from me as being delivered at Charleston； and I believe correctly：
〃I will say； then； that I am not； nor ever have been； in favor of
bringing about in any way the social and political equality of the
white and black races； that I am not； nor ever have been； in favor of
making voters or jurors of negroes； nor of qualifying them to hold
office； nor to intermarry with white people； and I will say； in
addition to this； that there is a physical difference between the
white and black races which will forever forbid the two races living
together on terms of social and political equality。 And inasmuch as
they cannot so live while they do remain together； there must be the
position of superior and inferior。 I am as much as any other man in
favor of having the superior position assigned to the white race。〃
This； I believe； is the entire quotation from Charleston speech； as
Judge Douglas made it his comments are as follows：
〃Yes； here you find men who hurrah for Lincoln； and say he is right
when he discards all distinction between races； or when he declares
that he discards the doctrine that there is such a thing as a
superior and inferior race； and Abolitionists are required and
expected to vote for Mr。 Lincoln because he goes for the equality of
races； holding that in the Declaration of Independence the white man
and negro were declared equal； and endowed by divine law with
equality。 And down South； with the old…line Whigs； with the
Kentuckians； the Virginians and the Tennesseeans； he tells you that
there is a physical difference between the races； making the one
superior； the other inferior； and he is in favor of maintaining the
superiority of the white race over the negro。〃
Those are the Judges comments。 Now； I wish to show you that a month；
or only lacking three days of a month； before I made the speech at
Charleston； which the Judge quotes from； he had himself heard me say
substantially the same thing It was in our first meeting； at Ottawa…
…and I will say a word about where it was； and the atmosphere it was
in； after a whilebut at our first meeting； at Ottawa； I read an
extract from an old speech of mine； made nearly four years ago； not
merely to show my sentiments； but to show that my sentiments were
long entertained and openly expressed； in which extract I expressly
declared that my own feelings would not admit a social and political
equality between the white and black races； and that even if my own
feelings would admit of it； I still knew that the public sentiment of
the country would not； and that such a thing was an utter
impossibility； or substantially that。 That extract from my old
speech the reporters by some sort of accident passed over； and it was
not reported。 I lay no blame upon anybody。 I suppose they thought
that I would hand it over to them； and dropped reporting while I was
giving it； but afterward went away without getting it from me。 At
the end of that quotation from my old speech； which I read at Ottawa；
I made the comments which were reported at that time； and which I
will now read； and ask you to notice how very nearly they are the
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