第21章

Whatisittoexclude？Why，itistodriveitout。ItisinsomewaytoputitoutoftheTerritory。Itistoforceitacrosstheline，orchangeitscharactersothat，asproperty，itisoutofexistence。Butwhatisthecontrollingofit"asotherproperty"？

Iscontrollingitasotherpropertythesamethingasdestroyingit，ordrivingitaway？Ishouldthinknot。IshouldthinkthecontrollingofitasotherpropertywouldbejustaboutwhatyouinKentuckyshouldwant。Iunderstandthecontrollingofpropertymeansthecontrollingofitforthebenefitoftheownerofit。WhileI

havenodoubttheSupremeCourtoftheUnitedStateswouldsay"Godspeed"toanyoftheTerritorialLegislaturesthatshouldthuscontrolslaveproperty，theywouldsingquiteadifferenttuneif，bythepretenceofcontrollingit，theyweretoundertaketopasslawswhichvirtuallyexcludedit，——andthatuponaverywellknownprincipletoalllawyers，thatwhataLegislaturecannotdirectlydo，itcannotdobyindirection；thatastheLegislaturehasnotthepowertodriveslavesout，theyhavenopower，byindirection，bytax，orbyimposingburdensinanywayonthatproperty，toeffectthesameend，andthatanyattempttodosowouldbeheldbytheDredScottcourtunconstitutional。

Douglasisnotwillingtostandbyhisfirstpropositionthattheycanexcludeit，becausewehaveseenthatthatpropositionamountstonothingmorenorlessthanthenakedabsurditythatyoumaylawfullydriveoutthatwhichhasalawfulrighttoremain。HeadmittedatfirstthattheslavemightbelawfullytakenintotheTerritoriesundertheConstitutionoftheUnitedStates，andyetassertedthathemightbelawfullydrivenout。Thatbeingtheproposition，itistheabsurdityIhavestated。Heisnotwillingtostandinthefaceofthatdirect，naked，andimpudentabsurdity；hehas，therefore，modifiedhislanguageintothatofbeing"controlledasotherproperty。"

TheKentuckiansdon’tlikethisinDouglas！Iwilltellyouwhereitwillgo。Henowswearsbythecourt。HewasoncealeadingmaninIllinoistobreakdownacourt，becauseithadmadeadecisionhedidnotlike。Buthenownotonlyswearsbythecourt，thecourtshavinggottoworkingforyou，buthedenouncesallmenthatdonotswearbythecourts，asunpatriotic，asbadcitizens。Whenoneoftheseactsofunfriendlylegislationshallimposesuchheavyburdensasto，ineffect，destroypropertyinslavesinaTerritory，andshowplainlyenoughthattherecanbenomistakeinthepurposeoftheLegislaturetomakethemsoburdensome，thissameSupremeCourtwilldecidethatlawtobeunconstitutional，andhewillbereadytosayforyourbenefit"Iswearbythecourt；Igiveitup"；andwhilethatisgoingonhehasbeengettingallhismentoswearbythecourts，andtogiveitupwithhim。Inthisagainheservesyoufaithfully，and，asIsay，morewiselythanyouserveyourselves。

Again：IhavealludedinthebeginningoftheseremarkstothefactthatJudgeDouglashasmadegreatcomplaintofmyhavingexpressedtheopinionthatthisgovernment"cannotendurepermanently，halfslaveandhalffree。"HehascomplainedofSewardforusingdifferentlanguage，anddeclaringthatthereisan"irrepressibleconflict"betweentheprinciplesoffreeandslavelabor。[Avoice：

"HesaysitisnotoriginalwithSeward。ThatitisoriginalwithLincoln。"]Iwillattendtothatimmediately，sir。Sincethattime，HickmanofPennsylvaniaexpressedthesamesentiment。HehasneverdenouncedMr。Hickman：why？Thereisalittlechance，notwithstandingthatopinioninthemouthofHickman，thathemayyetbeaDouglasman。Thatisthedifference！ItisnotunpatriotictoholdthatopinionifamanisaDouglasman。

ButneitherI，norSeward，norHickmanisentitledtotheenviableorunenviabledistinctionofhavingfirstexpressedthatidea。ThatsameideawasexpressedbytheRichmondEnquirer，inVirginia，in1856，——quitetwoyearsbeforeitwasexpressedbythefirstofus。

AndwhileDouglaswaspluminghimselfthatinhisconflictwithmyhumbleself，lastyear，hehad"squelchedout"thatfatalheresy，ashedelightedtocallit，andhadsuggestedthatifheonlyhadhadachancetobeinNewYorkandmeetSewardhewouldhave"squelched"ittherealso，itneveroccurredtohimtobreatheawordagainstPryor。

Idon’tthinkthatyoucandiscoverthatDouglasevertalkedofgoingtoVirginiato"squelch"outthatideathere。No。Morethanthat。

ThatsameRogerA。PryorwasbroughttoWashingtonCityandmadetheeditoroftheparexcellenceDouglaspaper，aftermakinguseofthatexpression，which，inus，issounpatrioticandheretical。Fromallthis，myKentuckyfriendsmayseethatthisopinionishereticalinhisviewonlywhenitisexpressedbymensuspectedofadesirethatthecountryshallallbecomefree，andnotwhenexpressedbythosefairlyknowntoentertainthedesirethatthewholecountryshallbecomeslave。Whenexpressedbythatclassofmen，itisinnowiseoffensivetohim。Inthisagain，myfriendsofKentucky，youhaveJudgeDouglaswithyou。

ThereisanotherreasonwhyyouSouthernpeopleoughttonominateDouglasatyourconventionatCharleston。Thatreasonisthewonderfulcapaciityoftheman，——thepowerhehasofdoingwhatwouldseemtobeimpossible。Letmecallyourattentiontooneoftheseapparentlyimpossiblethings：

Douglashadthreeorfourverydistinguishedmenofthemostextremeanti—slaveryviewsofanymenintheRepublicanpartyexpressingtheirdesireforhisre—electiontotheSenatelastyear。Thatwould，ofitself，haveseemedtobealittlewonderful；butthatwonderisheightenedwhenweseethatWiseofVirginia，amanexactlyopposedtothem，amanwhobelievesinthedivinerightofslavery，wasalsoexpressinghisdesirethatDouglasshouldbereelected；thatanothermanthatmaybesaidtobekindredtoWise，Mr。Breckinridge，theVice—President，andofyourownState，wasalsoagreeingwiththeanti—slaverymenintheNorththatDouglasoughttobere—elected。

Stilltoheightenthewonder，asenatorfromKentucky，whomIhavealwayslovedwithanaffectionastenderandendearingasIhaveeverlovedanyman，whowasopposedtotheanti—slaverymenforreasonswhichseemedsufficienttohim，andequallyopposedtoWiseandBreckinridge，waswritinglettersintoIllinoistosecurethereelectionofDouglas。Now，thatalltheseconflictingelementsshouldbebrought，whileatdaggers’pointswithoneanother，tosupporthim，isafeatthatisworthyforyoutonoteandconsider。

Itisquiteprobablethateachoftheseclassesofmenthought，bythere—electionofDouglas，theirpeculiarviewswouldgainsomething：itisprobablethattheanti—slaverymenthoughttheirviewswouldgainsomething；thatWiseandBreckinridgethoughtsotoo，asregardstheiropinions；thatMr。Crittendenthoughtthathisviewswouldgainsomething，althoughhewasopposedtoboththeseothermen。ItisprobablethateachandallofthemthoughtthattheywereusingDouglas；anditisyetanunsolvedproblemwhetherhewasnotusingthemall。Ifhewas，thenitisforyoutoconsiderwhetherthatpowertoperformwondersisoneforyoulightlytothrowaway。

ThereisoneotherthingthatIwillsaytoyou，inthisrelation。Itisbutmyopinion，Igiveittoyouwithoutafee。Itismyopinionthatitisforyoutotakehimorbedefeated；andthatifyoudotakehimyoumaybebeaten。Youwillsurelybebeatenifyoudonottakehim。We，theRepublicansandothersformingtheoppositionofthecountry，intendto"standbyourguns，"tobepatientandfirm，andinthelongruntobeatyou，whetheryoutakehimornot。Weknowthatbeforewefairlybeatyouwehavetobeatyoubothtogether。Weknowthatyouare"allofafeather，"andthatwehavetobeatyoualltogether，andweexpecttodoit。Wedon’tintendtobeveryimpatientaboutit。Wemeantobeasdeliberateandcalmaboutitasitispossibletobe，butasfirmandresolvedasitispossibleformentobe。Whenwedoaswesay，——beatyou，——youperhapswanttoknowwhatwewilldowithyou。

Iwilltellyou，sofarasIamauthorizedtospeakfortheopposition，whatwemeantodowithyou。Wemeantotreatyou，asnearaswepossiblycan，asWashington，Jefferson，andMadisontreatedyou。Wemeantoleaveyoualone，andinnowayinterferewithyourinstitution；toabidebyallandeverycompromiseoftheConstitution，and，inaword，comingbacktotheoriginalproposition，totreatyou，sofarasdegeneratedmen(ifwehavedegenerated)may，accordingtotheexamplesofthosenoblefathers，Washington，Jefferson，andMadison。Wemeantorememberthatyouareasgoodaswe；thatthereisnodifferencebetweenusotherthanthedifferenceofcircumstances。Wemeantorecognizeandbearinmindalwaysthatyouhaveasgoodheartsinyourbosomsasotherpeople，orasweclaimtohave，andtreatyouaccordingly。Wemeantomarryyourgirlswhenwehaveachance，thewhiteonesImean；andIhavethehonortoinformyouthatIoncedidhaveachanceinthatway。

Ihavetoldyouwhatwemeantodo。Iwanttoknow，now，whenthatthingtakesplace，whatdoyoumeantodo？IoftenhearitintimatedthatyoumeantodividetheUnionwheneveraRepublican，oranythinglikeit，iselectedPresidentoftheUnitedStates。[Avoice："Thatisso。"]"Thatisso，"oneofthemsays；IwonderifheisaKentuckian？[Avoice："HeisaDouglasman。"]Well，then，Iwanttoknowwhatyouaregoingtodowithyourhalfofit？AreyougoingtosplittheOhiodownthrough，andpushyourhalfoffapiece？Orareyougoingtokeepitrightalongsideofusoutrageousfellows？Orareyougoingtobuildupawallsomewaybetweenyourcountryandours，bywhichthatmovablepropertyofyourscan’tcomeoverhereanymore，tothedangerofyourlosingit？Doyouthinkyoucanbetteryourselves，onthatsubject，byleavingushereundernoobligationwhatevertoreturnthosespecimensofyourmovablepropertythatcomehither？YouhavedividedtheUnionbecausewewouldnotdorightwithyou，asyouthink，uponthatsubject；whenweceasetobeunderobligationstodoanythingforyou，howmuchbetteroffdoyouthinkyouwillbe？Willyoumakewaruponusandkillusall？Why，gentlemen，Ithinkyouareasgallantandasbravemenaslive；thatyoucanfightasbravelyinagoodcause，manforman，asanyotherpeopleliving；thatyouhaveshownyourselvescapableofthisuponvariousoccasions：but，manforman，youarenotbetterthanweare，andtherearenotsomanyofyouasthereareofus。Youwillnevermakemuchofahandatwhippingus。Ifwewerefewerinnumbersthanyou，Ithinkthatyoucouldwhipus；ifwewereequal，itwouldlikelybeadrawnbattle；butbeinginferiorinnumbers，youwillmakenothingbyattemptingtomasterus。

ButperhapsIhaveaddressedmyselfaslong，orlonger，totheKentuckiansthanIoughttohavedone，inasmuchasIhavesaidthatwhatevercourseyoutakeweintendintheendtobeatyou。Iproposetoaddressafewremarkstoourfriends，bywayofdiscussingwiththemthebestmeansofkeepingthatpromisethatIhaveingoodfaithmade。

ItmayappearalittleepisodicalformetomentionthetopicofwhichIwillspeaknow。ItisafavoritepositionofDouglas’sthattheinterferenceoftheGeneralGovernment，throughtheOrdinanceof’87，orthroughanyotheractoftheGeneralGovernmentneverhasmadeorevercanmakeafreeState；theOrdinanceof’87didnotmakefreeStatesofOhio，Indiana，orIllinois；thattheseStatesarefreeuponhis"greatprinciple"ofpopularsovereignty，becausethepeopleofthoseseveralStateshavechosentomakethemso。AtColumbus，andprobablyhere，heundertooktocomplimentthepeoplethattheythemselveshavemadetheStateofOhiofree，andthattheOrdinanceof’87wasnotentitledinanydegreetodividethehonorwiththem。

IhavenodoubtthatthepeopleoftheStateofOhiodidmakeherfreeaccordingtotheirownwillandjudgment，butletthefactsberemembered。

In1802，Ibelieve，itwasyouwhomadeyourfirstconstitution，withtheclauseprohibitingslavery，andyoudidit，Isuppose，verynearlyunanimously；butyoushouldbearinmindthatyou——speakingofyouasonepeople——thatyoudidsounembarrassedbytheactualpresenceofthe，institutionamongstyou；thatyoumadeitafreeStatenotwiththeembarrassmentuponyouofalreadyhavingamongyoumanyslaves，whichiftheyhadbeenhere，andyouhadsoughttomakeafreeState，youwouldnotknowwhattodowith。Iftheyhadbeenamongyou，embarrassingdifficulties，mostprobably，wouldhaveinducedyoutotolerateaslaveconstitutioninsteadofafreeone，asindeedtheseverydifficultieshaveconstrainedeverypeopleonthiscontinentwhohaveadoptedslavery。

Praywhatwasitthatmadeyoufree？Whatkeptyoufree？DidyounotfindyourcountryfreewhenyoucametodecidethatOhioshouldbeafreeState？Itisimportanttoinquirebywhatreasonyoufounditso。LetustakeanillustrationbetweentheStatesofOhioandKentucky。KentuckyisseparatedbythisRiverOhio，notamilewide。

AportionofKentucky，byreasonofthecourseoftheOhio，isfarthernorththanthisportionofOhio，inwhichwenowstand。

Kentuckyisentirelycoveredwithslavery；Ohioisentirelyfreefromit：Whatmadethatdifference？Wasitclimate？No。AportionofKentuckywasfarthernorththanthisportionofOhio。Wasitsoil？

No。Thereisnothinginthesoiloftheonemorefavorabletoslavethantheother。Itwasnotclimateorsoilthatmusedonesideofthelinetobeentirelycoveredwithslavery，andtheothersidefreeofit。Whatwasit？Studyoverit。Tellus，ifyoucan，inalltherangeofconjecture，iftherebeanythingyoucanconceiveofthatmadethatdifference，otherthanthattherewasnolawofanysortkeepingitoutofKentucky，whiletheOrdinanceof’87keptitoutofOhio。Ifthereisanyotherreasonthanthis，Iconfessthatitiswhollybeyondmypowertoconceiveofit。This，then，IoffertocombattheideathatthatOrdinancehasnevermadeanyStatefree。

Idon’tstopatthisillustration。IcometotheStateofIndiana；

andwhatIhavesaidasbetweenKentuckyandOhio，IrepeatasbetweenIndianaandKentucky：itisequallyapplicable。OneadditionalargumentisapplicablealsotoIndiana。InherTerritorialconditionshemorethanoncepetitionedCongresstoabrogatetheOrdinanceentirely，oratleastsofarastosuspenditsoperationfora，time，inorderthattheyshouldexercisethe"popularsovereignty"ofhavingslavesiftheywantedthem。ThementhencontrollingtheGeneralGovernment，imitatingthemenoftheRevolution，refusedIndianathatprivilege。AndsowehavetheevidencethatIndianasupposedshecouldhaveslaves，ifitwerenotforthatOrdinance；thatshebesoughtCongresstoputthatbarrieroutoftheway；thatCongressrefusedtodoso；anditallendedatlastinIndianabeingafreeState。TellmenotthenthattheOrdinanceof’87hadnothingtodowithmakingIndianaafreeState，whenwefindsomemenchafingagainst，andonlyrestrainedby，thatbarrier。

ComedownagaintoourStateofIllinois。ThegreatNorthwestTerritory，includingOhio，Indiana，Illinois，Michigan，andWisconsin，wasacquiredfirst，Ibelieve，bytheBritishGovernment，inpartatleast，fromtheFrench。BeforetheestablishmentofourindependenceitbecameapartofVirginia，enablingVirginiaafterwardtotransferittotheGeneralGovernment。TherewereFrenchsettlementsinwhatisnowIllinois，andatthesametimetherewereFrenchsettlementsinwhatisnowMissouri，inthetractofcountrythatwasnotpurchasedtillabout1803。IntheseFrenchsettlementsnegroslaveryhadexistedformanyyears，perhapsmorethanahundred；ifnotasmuchastwohundredyears，——atKaskaskia，inIllinois，andatSt。Genevieve，orCapeGirardeau，perhaps，inMissouri。Thenumberofslaveswasnotverygreat，buttherewasaboutthesamenumberineachplace。TheyweretherewhenweacquiredtheTerritory。Therewasnoeffortmadetobreakuptherelationofmasterandslave，andeventheOrdinanceof1787wasnotsoenforcedastodestroythatslaveryinIllinois；nordidtheOrdinanceapplytoMissouriatall。

WhatIwanttoaskyourattentionto；atthispoint，isthatIllinoisandMissouricameintotheUnionaboutthesametime，Illinoisinthelatterpartof1818，andMissouri，afterastruggle，Ibelievesometimein1820。TheyhadbeenfillingupwithAmericanpeopleaboutthesameperiodoftime；theirprogressenablingthemtocomeintotheUnionaboutthesametime。Attheendofthattenyears，inwhichtheyhadbeensopreparing(foritwasaboutthatperiodoftime)，thenumberofslavesinIllinoishadactuallydecreased；whileinMissouri，beginningwithveryfew，attheendofthattenyearstherewereabouttenthousand。Thisbeingso，anditbeingrememberedthatMissouriandIllinoisare，toacertainextent，inthesameparalleloflatitude，thatthenorthernhalfofMissouriandthesouthernhalfofIllinoisareinthesameparalleloflatitude，sothatclimatewouldhavethesameeffectupononeasupontheother，andthatinthesoilthereisnomaterialdifferencesofarasbearsuponthequestionofslaverybeingsettledupononeortheother，——therebeingnoneofthosenaturalcausestoproduceadifferenceinfillingthem，andyettherebeingabroaddifferencetotheirfillingup，weareledagaintoinquirewhatwasthecauseofthatdifference。

ItismostnaturaltosaythatinMissouritherewasnolawtokeepthatcountryfromfillingupwithslaves，whileinIllinoistherewastheOrdinanceofTheOrdinancebeingthere，slaverydecreasedduringthattenyears；theOrdinancenotbeingintheother，itincreasedfromafewtotenthousand。Cananybodydoubtthereasonofthedifference？

IthinkallthesefactsmostabundantlyprovethatmyfriendJudgeDouglas’sproposition，thattheOrdinanceof’87，orthenationalrestrictionofslavery，neverhadatendencytomakeafreeState，isafallacy，——apropositionwithouttheshadoworsubstanceoftruthaboutit。

DouglassometimessaysthatalltheStates(anditispartofthissamepropositionIhavebeendiscussing)thathavebecomefreehavebecomesouponhis"greatprinciple"；thattheStateofIllinoisitselfcameintotheUnionasaslaveState，andthatthepeople，uponthe"greatprinciple"ofpopularsovereignty，havesincemadeitafreeState。AllowmebutalittlewhiletostatetoyouwhatfactstherearetojustifyhiminsayingthatIllinoiscameintotheUnionasaslaveState。

IhavementionedtoyouthattherewereafewoldFrenchslavesthere。Theynumbered，Ithink，oneortwohundred。Besidesthat，therehadbeenaTerritoriallawforindenturingblackpersons。

Underthatlaw，inviolationoftheOrdinanceof’87，butwithoutanyenforcementoftheOrdinancetooverthrowthesystem，therehadbeenasmallnumberofslavesintroducedasindenturedpersons。Owingtothis，theclausefortheprohibitionofslaverywasslightlymodified。Insteadofrunninglikeyours，thatneitherslaverynorinvoluntaryservitude，exceptforcrime，ofwhichthepartyshallhavebeendulyconvicted，shouldexistintheState，theysaidthatneitherslaverynorinvoluntaryservitudeshouldthereafterbeintroduced；andthatthechildrenofindenturedservantsshouldbebornfree；andnothingwassaidaboutthefewoldFrenchslaves。Outofthisfact，thattheclauseforprohibitingslaverywasmodifiedbecauseoftheactualpresenceofit，DouglasassertsagainandagainthatIllinoiscameintotheUnionasaslaveState。Howfarthefactssustaintheconclusionthathedraws，itisforintelligentandimpartialmentodecide。Ileaveitwithyou，withtheseremarks，worthyofbeingremembered，thatthatlittlething，thosefewindenturedservantsbeingthere，wasofitselfsufficienttomodifyaconstitutionmadebyapeopleardentlydesiringtohaveafreeconstitution；showingthepoweroftheactualpresenceoftheinstitutionofslaverytopreventanypeople，howeveranxioustomakeafreeState，frommakingitperfectlyso。

Ihavebeendetainingyoulonger，perhaps，thanIoughttodo。

IaminsomedoubtwhethertointroduceanothertopicuponwhichI

couldtalkawhile。[Criesof"Goon，"and"Giveusit。"]Itisthis，then：Douglas’sPopularsovereignty，asaprinciple，issimplythis：

Ifonemanchoosestomakeaslaveofanotherman，neitherthatmannoranybodyelsehasarighttoobject。Applyittogovernment，asheseekstoapplyit，anditisthis：If，inanewTerritoryintowhichafewpeoplearebeginningtoenterforthepurposeofmakingtheirhomes，theychoosetoeitherexcludeslaveryfromtheirlimits，ortoestablishitthere，howeveroneortheothermayaffectthepersonstobeenslaved，ortheinfinitelygreaternumberofpersonswhoareafterwardtoinhabitthatTerritory，ortheothermembersofthefamilyofcommunitiesofwhichtheyarebutanincipientmember，orthegeneralheadofthefamilyofStatesasparentofall，howevertheiractionmayaffectoneortheotherofthese，thereisnopowerorrighttointerfere。ThatisDouglas’spopularsovereigntyapplied。Now，Ithinkthatthereisarealpopularsovereigntyintheworld。Ithinkthedefinitionofpopularsovereignty，intheabstract，wouldbeaboutthis：thateachmanshalldopreciselyashepleaseswithhimself，andwithallthosethingswhichexclusivelyconcernhim。Appliedingovernment，thisprinciplewouldbethatageneralgovernmentshalldoallthosethingswhichpertaintoit，andallthelocalgovernmentsshalldopreciselyastheypleaseinrespecttothosematterswhichexclusivelyconcernthem。

Douglaslooksuponslaveryassoinsignificantthatthepeoplemustdecidethatquestionforthemselves；andyettheyarenotfittodecidewhoshallbetheirgovernor，judge，orsecretary，orwhoshallbeanyoftheirofficers。Thesearevastnationalmattersinhisestimation；butthelittlematterinhisestimationisthatofplantingslaverythere。Thatispurelyoflocalinterest，whichnobodyshouldbeallowedtosayawordabout。

Laboristhegreatsourcefromwhichnearlyall，ifnotall，humancomfortsandnecessitiesaredrawn。Thereisadifferenceinopinionabouttheelementsoflaborinsociety。Somemenassumethatthereisnecessaryconnectionbetweencapitalandlabor，andthatconnectiondrawswithinitthewholeofthelaborofthecommunity。

Theyassumethatnobodyworksunlesscapitalexcitesthemtowork。

Theybeginnexttoconsiderwhatisthebestway。Theysaytherearebuttwoways：oneistohiremen，andtoallurethemtolaborbytheirconsent；theotheristobuythemen，anddrivethem，toit，andthatisslavery。Havingassumedthat，theyproceedtodiscussthequestionofwhetherthelaborersthemselvesarebetteroffintheconditionofslavesorofhiredlaborers，andtheyusuallydecidethattheyarebetteroffintheconditionofslaves。

Inthefirstplace，Isaythatthewholethingisamistake。Thatthereisacertainrelationbetweencapitalandlabor，Iadmit。Thatitdoesexist，andrightfullyexists，Ithinkistrue。Thatmenwhoareindustrious，andsober，andhonestinthepursuitoftheirowninterestsshouldafterawhileaccumulatecapital，andafterthatshouldbeallowedtoenjoyitinpeace，andalso，iftheyshouldchoose，whentheyhaveaccumulatedit，touseittosavethemselvesfromactuallabor，andhireotherpeopletolaborforthem，isright。

Indoingsotheydonotwrongthemantheyemploy，fortheyfindmenwhohavenotoftheirownlandtoworkupon，orshopstoworkin，andwhoarebenefitedbyworkingforothers，hiredlaborers，receivingtheircapitalforit。Thusafewmen，thatowncapital，hireafewothers，andtheseestablishtherelationofcapitalandlaborrightfully，arelationofwhichImakenocomplaint。ButIinsistthatthatrelation，afterall，doesnotembracemorethanoneeighthofthelaborofthecountry。

[Thespeakerproceededtoarguethatthehiredlaborer，withhisabilitytobecomeanemployer，musthaveeveryprecedenceoverhimwholaborsundertheinducementofforce。Hecontinued：]

Ihavetakenuponmyselfinthenameofsomeofyoutosaythatweexpectupontheseprinciplestoultimatelybeatthem。Inordertodoso，Ithinkwewantandmusthaveanationalpolicyinregardtotheinstitutionofslaverythatacknowledgesanddealswiththatinstitutionasbeingwrong。Whoeverdesiresthepreventionofthespreadofslaveryandthenationalizationofthatinstitutionyieldsallwhenheyieldstoanypolicythateitherrecognizesslaveryasbeingrightorasbeinganindifferentthing。Nothingwillmakeyousuccessfulbutsettingupapolicywhichshalltreatthethingasbeingwrong：WhenIsaythis，IdonotmeantosaythatthisGeneralGovernmentischargedwiththedutyofredressingorpreventingallthewrongsintheworld，butIdothinkthatitischargedwithpreventingandredressingallwrongswhicharewrongstoitself。

ThisGovernmentisexpresslychargedwiththedutyofprovidingforthegeneralwelfare。Webelievethatthespreadingoutandperpetuityoftheinstitutionofslaveryimpairsthegeneralwelfare。

Webelieve——nay，weknow——thatthatistheonlythingthathaseverthreatenedtheperpetuityoftheUnionitself。Theonlythingwhichhasevermenacedthedestructionofthegovernmentunderwhichweliveisthisverything。Torepressthisthing，wethink，is，Providingforthegeneralwelfare。OurfriendsinKentuckydifferfromus。Weneednotmakeourargumentforthem，butwewhothinkitiswronginallitsrelations，orinsomeofthematleast，mustdecideastoourownactionsandourowncourse，uponourownjudgment。

IsaythatwemustnotinterferewiththeinstitutionofslaveryintheStateswhereitexists，becausetheConstitutionforbidsit，andthegeneralwelfaredoesnotrequireustodoso。WemustnotwithholdanefficientFugitiveSlavelaw，becausetheConstitutionrequiresus，asIunderstandit，nottowithholdsuchalaw。Butwemustpreventtheoutspreadingoftheinstitution，becauseneithertheConstitutionnorgeneralwelfarerequiresustoextendit。WemustpreventtherevivaloftheAfricanslavetrade，