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down and obliged to labor whether you pay them or not！ I like the
system which lets a man quit when he wants to； and wish it might
prevail everywhere。 One of the reasons why I am opposed to slavery
is just here。 What is the true condition of the laborer？ I take it
that it is best for all to leave each man free to acquire property as
fast as he can。 Some will get wealthy。 I don't believe in a law to
prevent a man from getting rich； it would do more harm than good。
So； while we do not propose any war upon capital； we do wish to allow
the humblest man an equal chance to get rich with everybody else。
When one starts poor； as most do in the race of life； free society is
such that he knows he can better his condition； he knows that there
is no fixed condition of labor for his whole life。 I am not ashamed
to confess that twenty…five years ago I was a hired laborer； mauling
rails； at work on a flatboatjust what might happen to any poor
man's son！ I want every man to have a chanceand I believe a Black
man is entitled to itin which he can better his condition； when he
may look forward and hope to be a hired laborer this year and the
next； work for himself afterward； and finally to hire men to work for
him！ That is the system。 Up here in New England； you have a soil
that scarcely sprouts black…eyed beans； and yet where will you find
wealthy men so wealthy； and poverty so rarely in extremity？ There is
not another such place on earth！ I desire that if you get too thick
here； and find it hard to better your condition on this soil； you may
have a chance to strike and go somewhere else； where you may not be
degraded； nor have your families corrupted； by forced rivalry with
negro slaves。 I want you to have a clean bed and no snakes in it！
Then you can better your condition； and so it may go on and on in one
endless round so long as man exists on the face of the earth！
Now； to come back to this shoe strike；if； as the senator from
Illinois asserts； this is caused by withdrawal of Southern votes；
consider briefly how you will meet the difficulty。 You have done
nothing； and have protested that you have done nothing； to injure the
South。 And yet； to get back the shoe trade； you must leave off doing
something which you are now doing。 What is it？ You must stop
thinking slavery wrong！ Let your institutions be wholly changed； let
your State constitutions be subverted； glorify slavery； and so you
will get back the shoe tradefor what？ You have brought owned labor
with it； to compete with your own labor； to underwork you； and to
degrade you！ Are you ready to get back the trade on those terms？
But the statement is not correct。 You have not lost that trade；
orders were never better than now！ Senator Mason； a Democrat； comes
into the Senate in homespun； a proof that the dissolution of the
Union has actually begun！ but orders are the same。 Your factories
have not struck work； neither those where they make anything for
coats； nor for pants nor for shirts； nor for ladies' dresses。 Mr。
Mason has not reached the manufacturers who ought to have made him a
coat and pants！ To make his proof good for anything he should have
come into the Senate barefoot！
Another bushwhacking contrivance； simply that； nothing else！ I find a
good many people who are very much concerned about the loss of
Southern trade。 Now either these people are sincere or they are not。
I will speculate a little about that。 If they are sincere； and are
moved by any real danger of the loss of Southern trade； they will
simply get their names on the white list； and then； instead of
persuading Republicans to do likewise； they will be glad to keep you
away！ Don't you see that they cut off competition？ They would not be
whispering around to Republicans to come in and share the profits
with them。 But if they are not sincere； and are merely trying to
fool Republicans out of their votes； they will grow very anxious
about your pecuniary prospects； they are afraid you are going to get
broken up and ruined； they do not care about Democratic votes； oh；
no； no； no！ You must judge which class those belong to whom you meet：
I leave it to you to determine from the facts。
Let us notice some more of the stale charges against Republicans。
You say we are sectional。 We deny it。 That makes an issue； and the
burden of proof is upon you。 You produce your proof； and what is it？
Why； that our party has no existence in your sectiongets no votes
in your section。 The fact is substantially true； but does it prove
the issue？ If it does； then in case we should； without change of
principle； begin to get votes in your section； we should thereby
cease to be sectional。 You cannot escape this conclusion； and yet；
are you willing to abide by it？ If you are； you will probably soon
find that we have ceased to be sectional； for we shall get votes in
your section this very year。 The fact that we get no votes in your
section is a fact of your making and not of ours。 And if there be
fault in that fact； that fault is primarily yours； and remains so
until you show that we repel you by some wrong principle or practice。
If we do repel you by any wrong principle or practice； the fault is
ours； but this brings you to where you ought to have startedto a
discussion of the right or wrong of our principle。 If our principle；
put in practice； would wrong your section for the benefit of ours； or
for any other object； then our principle； and we with it； are
sectional； and are justly opposed and denounced as such。 Meet us；
then； on the question of whether our principle put in practice would
wrong your section； and so meet it as if it were possible that
something may be said on our side。 Do you accept the challenge？ No？
Then you really believe that the principle which our fathers who
framed the Government under which we live thought so clearly right as
to adopt it； and indorse it again and again； upon their official
oaths； is in fact so clearly wrong as to demand our condemnation
without a moment's consideration。 Some of you delight to flaunt in
our faces the warning against sectional parties given by Washington
in his Farewell Address。 Less than eight years before Washington
gave that warning； he had； as President of the United States；
approved and signed an act of Congress enforcing the prohibition of
slavery in the Northwestern Territory； which act embodied the policy
of government upon that subject； up to and at the very moment he
penned that warning； and about one year after he penned it he wrote
La Fayette that he considered that prohibition a wise measure；
expressing in the same connection his hope that we should sometime
have a confederacy of free States。
Bearing this in mind； and seeing that sectionalism has since arisen
upon this same subject； is that warning a weapon in your hands
against us； or in our hands against you？ Could Washington himself
speak； would he cast the blame of that sectionalism upon us； who
sustain his policy； or upon you； who repudiate it？ We respect that
warning of Washington； and we commend it to you； together with his
example pointing to the right application of it。
But you say you are conservativeeminently conservativewhile we
are revolutionary； destructive； or something of the sort。 What is
conservatism？ Is it not adherence to the old and tried； against the
new and untried？ We stick to； contend for； the identical old policy
on the point in controversy which was adopted by our fathers who
framed the Government under which we live； while you with one accord
reject and scout and spit upon that old policy； and insist upon
substituting something new。
True； you disagree among yourselves as to what that substitute shall
be。 You have considerable variety of new propositions and plans； but
you are unanimous in rejecting and denouncing the old policy of the
fathers。 Some of you are for reviving the foreign slave…trade； some
fo