第22章

Bearinmind，thejudgesdonotpledgetheirjudicialopinionthatsuchrightisimpliedlyaffirmedintheConstitution；buttheypledgetheirveracitythatitis"distinctlyandexpressly"affirmedthere—

—"distinctly，"thatis，notmingledwithanythingelse；"expressly，"

thatis，inwordsmeaningjustthat，withouttheaidofanyinference，andsusceptibleofnoothermeaning。

Iftheyhadonlypledgedtheirjudicialopinionthatsuchrightisaffirmedintheinstrumentbyimplication，itwouldbeopentootherstoshowthatneithertheword"slave"nor"slavery"istobefoundintheConstitution，northeword"property"even，inanyconnectionwithlanguagealludingtothethingsslaveorslavery；andthatwhereverinthatinstrumenttheslaveisalludedto，heiscalleda"person"；andwhereverhismaster’slegalrightinrelationtohimisalludedto，itisspokenofas"serviceorlaborwhichmaybedue，"

asadebtpayableinserviceorlabor。Also，itwouldbeopentoshow，bycontemporaneoushistory，thatthismodeofalludingtoslavesandslavery，insteadofspeakingofthem，wasemployedonpurposetoexcludefromtheConstitutiontheideathattherecouldbepropertyinman。

Toshowallthis，iseasyandcertain。

Whenthisobviousmistakeofthejudgesshallbebroughttotheirnotice，isitnotreasonabletoexpectthattheywillwithdrawthemistakenstatement，andreconsidertheconclusionbaseduponit？

Andthenitistoberememberedthat"ourfathers；whoframedtheGovernmentunderwhichwelive"，——themenwhomadetheConstitution——

decidedthissameconstitutionalquestioninourfavor，longago；

decideditwithoutdivisionamongthemselves，whenmakingthedecision，withoutdivisionamongthemselvesaboutthemeaningofitafteritwasmade，and，sofarasanyevidenceisleft，withoutbasingituponanymistakenstatementoffacts。

Underallthesecircumstances，doyoureallyfeelyourselvesjustifiedtobreakupthisGovernmentunlesssuchacourtdecisionasyoursisshallbeatoncesubmittedtoasaconclusiveandfinalruleofpoliticalaction？ButyouwillnotabidetheelectionofaRepublicanPresident！Inthatsupposedevent，yousay，youwilldestroytheUnion；，andthen，yousay，thegreatcrimeofhavingdestroyeditwillbeuponus！Thatiscool。Ahighwaymanholdsapistoltomyear，andmuttersthroughhisteeth，"standanddeliver，orIshallkillyou，andthenyou’llbeamurderer！"

Tobesure，whattherobberdemandedofme—mymoneywasmyown，andI

hadaclearrighttokeepit；butitwasnomoremyownthanmyvoteismyown；andthethreatofdeathtome，toextortmymoney，andthethreatofdestructiontotheUnion，toextortmyvote，canscarcelybedistinguishedinprinciple。

AfewwordsnowtoRepublicans：Itisexceedinglydesirablethatallpartsofthisgreatconfederacyshallbeatpeaceandinharmonyonewithanother。LetusRepublicansdoourparttohaveitso。Eventhoughmuchprovoked，letusdonothingthroughpassionandilltemper。EventhoughtheSouthernpeoplewillnotsomuchaslistentous，letuscalmlyconsidertheirdemands，andyieldtothemif，inourdeliberateviewofourduty，wepossiblycan。Judgingbyalltheysayanddo，andbythesubjectandnatureoftheircontroversywithus，letusdetermine，ifwecan，whatwillsatisfythem。

WilltheybesatisfiediftheTerritoriesbeunconditionallysurrenderedtothem？Weknowtheywillnot。Inalltheirpresentcomplaintsagainstus，theTerritoriesarescarcelymentioned。

Invasionsandinsurrectionsaretheragenow。Willitsatisfythemif，inthefuture，wehavenothingtodowithinvasionsand，insurrections？Weknowitwillnot。Wesoknowbecauseweknowweneverhadanythingtodowithinvasionsandinsurrections；andyetthistotalabstainingdoesnotexemptusfromthechargeandthedenunciation。

Thequestionrecurs，whatwillsatisfythem？Simplythis：Wemustnotonlyletthemalone，butwemust，somehow，convincethemthatwedoletthemalone。This，weknowbyexperience，isnoeasytask。

Wehavebeensotryingtoconvincethemfromtheverybeginningofourorganization，butwithnosuccess。Inallourplatformsandspeecheswehaveconstantlyprotestedourpurposetoletthemalone；

butthishashadnotendencytoconvincethem。Alikeunavailingtoconvincethemisthefactthattheyhaveneverdetectedamanofusinanyattempttodisturbthem。

Thesenaturalandapparentlyadequatemeansallfailing，whatwillconvincethem？This，andthisonly：ceasetocallslaverywrong，andjointhemincallingitright。Andthismustbedonethoroughly——

doneinactsaswellasinwords。Silencewillnotbetolerated——wemustplaceourselvesavowedlywiththem。SenatorDouglas’snewseditionlawmustbeenactedandenforced，suppressingalldeclarationsthatslaveryiswrong，whethermadeinpolitics，inpresses，inpulpits；orinprivate。Wemustarrestandreturntheirfugitiveslaveswithgreedypleasure。WemustpulldownourfreeStateconstitutions。Thewholeatmospheremustbedisinfectedfromalltaintofoppositiontoslavery，beforetheywillceasetobelievethatalltheirtroublesproceedfromus。

Iamquiteawaretheydonotstatetheircasepreciselyinthisway。

Mostofthemwouldprobablysaytous，"Letusalone，donothingtous，andsaywhatyoupleaseaboutslavery。"Butwedoletthemalonehaveneverdisturbedthem——sothatafterallitiswhatwesaywhichdissatisfiesthem。Theywillcontinuetoaccuseusofdoing，untilweceasesaying。

Iamalsoawaretheyhavenotasyet，interms，demandedtheoverthrowofourfreeStateconstitutions。Yetthoseconstitutionsdeclarethewrongofslavery，withmoresolemnemphasisthandoallothersayingsagainstit；andwhenalltheseothersayingsshallhavebeensilenced，theoverthrowoftheseconstitutionswillbedemanded，andnothingbelefttoresistthedemand。Itisnothingtothecontrary，thattheydonotdemandthewholeofthisjustnow。

Demandingwhattheydo，andforthereasontheydo，theycanvoluntarilystopnowhereshortofthisconsummation。Holding，astheydo，thatslaveryismorallyright，andsociallyelevating，theycannotceasetodemandafullnationalrecognitionofit，asalegalrightandasocialblessing。

Norcanwejustifiablywithholdthisonanygroundsaveourconvictionthatslaveryiswrong。Ifslaveryisright，allwords，acts，laws，andconstitutionsagainstitarethemselveswrong，andshouldbesilencedandsweptaway。Ifitisright，wecannotjustlyobjecttoitsnationalityitsuniversality；ifitiswrong，theycannotjustlyinsistuponitsextension——itsenlargement。Alltheyaskwecouldreadilygrantifwethoughtslaveryright；allweasktheycouldasreadilygrant，iftheythoughtitwrong。Theirthinkingitrightandourthinkingitwrongistheprecisefactuponwhichdependsthewholecontroversy。Thinkingitright，astheydo，theyarenottoblamefordesiringitsfullrecognition，asbeingright；butthinkingitwrong，aswedo，canweyieldtothem？Canwecastourvoteswiththeirview，andagainstourown？Inviewofourmoral，social，andpoliticalresponsibilities，canwedothis？Wrongaswethinkslaveryis，wecanyetaffordtoletitalonewhereitis，becausethatmuchisduetothenecessityarisingfromitsactualpresenceinthenation；butcanwe，whileourvoteswillpreventit，allowittospreadintothenationalTerritories，andtooverrunushereinthesefreeStates？Ifoursenseofdutyforbidsthis，thenletusstandbyourduty，fearlesslyandeffectively。Letusbedivertedbynoneofthosesophisticalcontrivanceswherewithwearesoindustriouslypliedandbelabored—contrivancessuchasgropingforsomemiddlegroundbetweentherightandthewrong，vainasthesearchforamanwhoshouldbeneitheralivingmannoradeadman—suchasapolicyof"don’tcare"onaquestionaboutwhichalltruemendocare——suchasUnionappealsbeseechingtrueUnionmentoyieldtoDisunionists，reversingthedivinerule，andcalling，notthesinners，buttherighteoustorepentance——suchasinvocationstoWashington，imploringmentounsaywhatWashingtonsaid，andundowhatWashingtondid。

Neitherletusbeslanderedfromourdutybyfalseaccusationsagainstus，norfrightenedfromitbymenacesofdestructiontotheGovernmentnorofdungeonstoourselves。LETUSHAVEFAITHTHATRIGHT

MAKESMIGHT，ANDINTHATFAITHLETUS，TOTHEEND，DARETODOOUR

DUTYASWEUNDERSTANDIT。

SPEECHATNEWHAVEN，CONNECTICUT，MARCH6，1860

MR。PRESIDENT，ANDFELLOW—CITIZENSOFNEWHAVEN：——IftheRepublicanpartyofthisnationshalleverhavethenationalHouseentrustedtoitskeeping，itwillbethedutyofthatpartytoattendtoalltheaffairsofnationalhousekeeping。Whatevermattersofimportancemaycomeup，whateverdifficultiesmayariseinitswayofadministrationoftheGovernment，thatpartywillthenhavetoattendto。Itwillthenbecompelledtoattendtootherquestions，besidesthisquestionwhichnowassumesanoverwhelmingimportance——thequestionofslavery。ItistruethatintheorganizationoftheRepublicanpartythisquestionofslaverywasmoreimportantthananyother：indeed，somuchmoreimportanthasitbecomethatnomorenationalquestioncanevengetahearingjustatpresent。Theoldquestionoftariff—

—amatterthatwillremainoneofthechiefaffairsofnationalhouse—keepingtoalltime；thequestionofthemanagementoffinancialaffairs；thequestionofthedispositionofthepublicdomainhowshallitbemanagedforthepurposeofgettingitwellsettled，andofmakingtherethehomesofafreeandhappypeople？

thesewillremainopenandrequireattentionforagreatwhileyet，andthesequestionswillhavetobeattendedtobywhateverpartyhasthecontroloftheGovernment。Yet，justnow，theycannotevenobtainahearing，andIdonotproposetodetainyouuponthesetopicsorwhatsortofhearingtheyshouldhavewhenopportunityshallcome。

For，whetherwewillornot，thequestionofslaveryisthequestion，theall—absorbingtopicoftheday。Itistruethatallofus——andbythatImean，nottheRepublicanpartyalone，butthewholeAmericanpeople，hereandelsewhere——allofuswishthisquestionsettled，wishitoutoftheway。Itstandsintheway，andpreventstheadjustment，andthegivingofnecessaryattentiontootherquestionsofnationalhouse—keeping。Thepeopleofthewholenationagreethatthisquestionoughttobesettled，andyetitisnotsettled。Andthereasonisthattheyarenotyetagreedhowitshallbesettled。

Allwishitdone，butsomewishonewayandsomeanother，andsomeathird，orfourth，orfifth；differentbodiesarepullingindifferentdirections，andnoneofthem，havingadecidedmajority，areabletoaccomplishthecommonobject。

Inthebeginningoftheyear1854，anewpolicywasinauguratedwiththeavowedobjectandconfidentpromisethatitwouldentirelyandforeverputanendtotheslaveryagitation。Itwasagainandagaindeclaredthatunderthispolicy，whenoncesuccessfullyestablished，thecountrywouldbeforeverridofthiswholequestion。Yetundertheoperationofthatpolicythisagitationhasnotonlynotceased，butithasbeenconstantlyaugmented。Andthistoo，although，fromthedayofitsintroduction，itsfriends，whopromisedthatitwouldwhollyendallagitation，constantlyinsisted，downtothetimethattheLecomptonBillwasintroduced，thatitwasworkingadmirably，andthatitsinevitabletendencywastoremovethequestionforeverfromthepoliticsofthecountry。CanyoucalltomindanyDemocraticspeech，madeaftertherepealoftheMissouriCompromise，downtothetimeoftheLecomptonBill，inwhichitwasnotpredictedthattheslaveryagitationwasjustatanend，that"theabolitionexcitementwasplayedout，""theKansasquestionwasdead，""theyhavemadethemosttheycanoutofthisquestionanditisnowforeversettled"？

ButsincetheLecomptonBillnoDemocrat，withinmyexperience，haseverpretendedthathecouldseetheend。Thatcryhasbeendropped。

Theythemselvesdonotpretend，now，thattheagitationofthissubjecthascometoanendyet。

Thetruthisthatthisquestionisoneofnationalimportance，andwecannothelpdealingwithit；wemustdosomethingaboutit，whetherwewillornot。Wecannotavoidit；thesubjectisonewecannotavoidconsidering；wecannomoreavoiditthanamancanlivewithouteating。Itisuponus；itattachestothebodypoliticasmuchandcloselyasthenaturalwantsattachtoournaturalbodies。

NowIthinkitimportantthatthismattershouldbetakenupinearnest，andreallysettled：Andonewaytobringaboutatruesettlementofthequestionistounderstanditstruemagnitude。

Therehavebeenmanyeffortsmadetosettleit。Againandagainithasbeenfondlyhopedthatitwassettled；buteverytimeitbreaksoutafresh，andmoreviolentlythanever。Itwassettled，ourfathershoped，bytheMissouriCompromise，butitdidnotstaysettled。Thenthecompromisesof1850weredeclaredtobeafullandfinalsettlementofthequestion。Thetwogreatparties，eachinnationalconvention，adoptedresolutionsdeclaringthatthesettlementmadebytheCompromiseof1850wasafinalitythatitwouldlastforever。Yethowlongbeforeitwasunsettledagain？

Itbrokeoutagainin1854，andblazedhigherandragedmorefuriouslythaneverbefore，andtheagitationhasnotrestedsince。

Theserepeatedsettlementsmusthavesomefaultsaboutthem。Theremustbesomeinadequacyintheirverynaturetothepurposetowhichtheyweredesigned。Wecanonlyspeculateastowherethatfault，thatinadequacy，is，butwemayperhapsprofitbypastexperiences。

Ithinkthatoneofthecausesoftheserepeatedfailuresisthatourbestandgreatestmenhavegreatlyunderestimatedthesizeofthisquestion。Theyhaveconstantlybroughtforwardsmallcuresforgreatsores——plasterstoosmalltocoverthewound。Thatisonereasonthatallsettlementshaveprovedtemporary——soevanescent。

Lookatthemagnitudeofthissubject：Onesixthofourpopulation，inroundnumbers——notquiteonesixth，andyetmorethanaseventh，——

aboutonesixthofthewholepopulationoftheUnitedStatesareslaves。Theownersoftheseslavesconsiderthemproperty。Theeffectuponthemindsoftheownersisthatofproperty，andnothingelseitinducesthemtoinsistuponallthatwillfavorablyaffectitsvalueasproperty，todemandlawsandinstitutionsandapublicpolicythatshallincreaseandsecureitsvalue，andmakeitdurable，lasting，anduniversal。Theeffectonthemindsoftheownersistopersuadethemthatthereisnowronginit。Theslaveholderdoesnotliketobeconsideredameanfellowforholdingthatspeciesofproperty，andhence，hehastostrugglewithinhimselfandsetsaboutarguinghimselfintothebeliefthatslaveryisright。Thepropertyinfluenceshismind。Thedissentingministerwhoarguedsometheologicalpointwithoneoftheestablishedchurchwasalwaysmetwiththereply，"Ican’tseeitso。"HeopenedaBibleandpointedhimapassage，buttheorthodoxministerreplied，"Ican’tseeitso。"Thenheshowedhimasingleword——"Canyouseethat？""Yes，I

seeit，"wasthereply。Thedissenterlaidaguineaoverthewordandasked，"Doyouseeitnow？"Sohere。Whethertheownersofthisspeciesofpropertydoreallyseeitasitis，itisnotformetosay，butiftheydo，theyseeitasitisthroughtwothousandmillionsofdollars，andthatisaprettythickcoating。Certainitisthattheydonotseeitasweseeit。Certainitisthatthistwothousandmillionsofdollars，investedinthisspeciesofproperty，allsoconcentratedthatthemindcangraspitatonce——thisimmensepecuniaryinterest——hasitsinfluenceupontheirminds。

ButhereinConnecticutandattheNorthslaverydoesnotexist，andweseeitthroughnosuchmedium。

Tousitappearsnaturaltothinkthatslavesarehumanbeings；men，notproperty；thatsomeofthethings，atleast，statedaboutmenintheDeclarationofIndependenceapplytothemaswellastous。

Isaywethink，mostofus，thatthischarteroffreedomappliestotheslavesaswellastoourselves；thattheclassofargumentsputforwardtobatterdownthatideaarealsocalculatedtobreakdowntheveryideaofafreegovernment，evenforwhitemen，andtounderminetheveryfoundationsoffreesociety。Wethinkslaveryagreatmoralwrong，and，whilewedonotclaimtherighttotouchitwhereitexists，wewishtotreatitasawrongintheTerritories，whereourvoteswillreachit。Wethinkthatarespectforourselves，aregardforfuturegenerationsandfortheGodthatmadeus，requirethatweputdownthiswrongwhereourvoteswillproperlyreachit。Wethinkthatspeciesoflaboraninjurytofreewhitemen——inshort，wethinkslaveryagreatmoral，social，andpoliticalevil，tolerableonlybecause，andsofaras，itsactualexistencemakesitnecessarytotolerateit，andthatbeyondthatitoughttobetreatedasawrong。

Nowthesetwoideas，thepropertyideathatslaveryisright，andtheideathatitiswrong，comeintocollision，anddoactuallyproducethatirrepressibleconflictwhichMr。Sewardhasbeensoroundlyabusedformentioning。Thetwoideasconflict，andmustconflict。

Again，initspoliticalaspect，doesanythinginanywayendangertheperpetuityofthisUnionbutthatsinglething，slavery？ManyofouradversariesareanxioustoclaimthattheyarespeciallydevotedtotheUnion，andtakepainstochargeuponushostilitytotheUnion。

NowweclaimthatwearetheonlytrueUnionmen，andweputtothemthisoneproposition：WhateverendangersthisUnion，saveandexceptslavery？Didanyotherthingevercauseamoment’sfear？AllmenmustagreethatthisthingalonehaseverendangeredtheperpetuityoftheUnion。Butifitwasthreatenedbyanyotherinfluence，wouldnotallmensaythatthebestthingthatcouldbedone，ifwecouldnotoroughtnottodestroyit，wouldbeatleasttokeepitfromgrowinganylarger？Cananymanbelieve，thatthewaytosavetheUnionistoextendandincreasetheonlythingthatthreatenstheUnion，andtosufferittogrowbiggerandbigger？

Wheneverthisquestionshallbesettled，itmustbesettledonsomephilosophicalbasis。Nopolicythatdoesnotrestuponsomephilosophicalopinioncanbepermanentlymaintained。Andhencetherearebuttwopoliciesinregardtoslaverythatcanbeatallmaintained。Thefirst，basedonthepropertyviewthatslaveryisright，conformstothatideathroughout，anddemandsthatweshalldoeverythingforitthatweoughttodoifitwereright。Wemustsweepawayallopposition，foroppositiontotherightiswrong；wemustagreethatslaveryisright，andwemustadopttheideathatpropertyhaspersuadedtheownertobelievethatslaveryismorallyrightandsociallyelevating。Thisgivesaphilosophicalbasisforapermanentpolicyofencouragement。

Theotherpolicyisonethatsquareswiththeideathatslaveryiswrong，anditconsistsindoingeverythingthatweoughttodoifitiswrong。Now，Idon’twishtobemisunderstood，nortoleaveagapdowntobemisrepresented，even。Idon’tmeanthatweoughttoattackitwhereitexists。Tomeitseemsthatifweweretoformagovernmentanew，inviewoftheactualpresenceofslaveryweshouldfinditnecessarytoframejustsuchagovernmentasourfathersdid—

—givingtotheslaveholdertheentirecontrolwherethesystemwasestablished，whilewepossessedthepowertorestrainitfromgoingoutsidethoselimits。Fromthenecessitiesofthecaseweshouldbecompelledtoformjustsuchagovernmentasourblessedfathersgaveus；and，surely，iftheyhavesomadeit，thataddsanotherreasonwhyweshouldletslaveryalonewhereitexists。

IfIsawavenomoussnakecrawlingintheroad，anymanwouldsayI

mightseizetheneareststickandkillit；butifIfoundthatsnakeinbedwithmychildren，thatwouldbeanotherquestion。Imighthurtthechildrenmorethanthesnake，anditmightbitethem。MuchmoreifIfounditinbedwithmyneighbor’schildren，andIhadboundmyselfbyasolemncompactnottomeddlewithhischildrenunderanycircumstances，itwouldbecomemetoletthatparticularmodeofgettingridofthegentlemanalone。Butiftherewasabednewlymadeup，towhichthechildrenweretobetaken，anditwasproposedtotakeabatchofyoungsnakesandputthemtherewiththem，ItakeitnomanwouldsaytherewasanyquestionhowIoughttodecide！

Thatisjustthecase。ThenewTerritoriesarethenewlymadebedtowhichourchildrenaretogo，anditlieswiththenationtosaywhethertheyshallhavesnakesmixedupwiththemornot。Itdoesnotseemasiftherecouldbemuchhesitationwhatourpolicyshouldbe！

NowIhavespokenofapolicybasedontheideathatslaveryiswrong，andapolicybasedontheideathatitisright。Butanefforthasbeenmadeforapolicythatshalltreatitasneitherrightnorwrong。Itisbaseduponutterindifference。Itsleadingadvocate[Douglas]hassaid，"Idon’tcarewhetheritbevotedupordown。""Itismerelyamatterofdollarsandcents。""TheAlmightyhasdrawnalineacrossthiscontinent，ononesideofwhichallsoilmustforeverbecultivatedbyslavelabor，andontheotherbyfree。"

"Whenthestruggleisbetweenthewhitemanandthenegro，Iamforthewhiteman；whenitisbetweenthenegroandthecrocodile，Iamforthenegro。"Itscentralideaisindifference。ItholdsthatitmakesnomoredifferencetouswhethertheTerritoriesbecomefreeorslaveStatesthanwhethermyneighborstockshisfarmwithhornedcattleorputsintobacco。Allrecognizethispolicy，theplausiblesugar—coatednameofwhichis"popularsovereignty。"

Thispolicychieflystandsinthewayofapermanentsettlementofthequestion。Ibelievethereisnodangerofitsbecomingthepermanentpolicyofthecountry，foritisbasedonapublicindifference。Thereisnobodythat"don’tcare。"Allthepeopledocareonewayortheother！Idonotchargethatitsauthor，whenhesayshe"don’tcare，"stateshisindividualopinion；heonlyexpresseshispolicyforthegovernment。Iunderstandthathehasneversaidasanindividualwhetherhethoughtslaveryrightorwrong——andheistheonlymaninthenationthathasnot！Nowsuchapolicymayhaveatemporaryrun；itmayspringupasnecessarytothepoliticalprospectsofsomegentleman；butitisutterlybaseless：

thepeoplearenotindifferent，anditcanthereforehavenodurabilityorpermanence。

Butsupposeitcould：Thenitcouldbemaintainedonlybyapublicopinionthatshallsay，"Wedon’tcare。"Theremustbeachangeinpublicopinion；thepublicmindmustbesofardebauchedastosquarewiththispolicyofcaringnotatall。Thepeoplemustcometoconsiderthisas"merelyaquestionofdollarsandcents，"andtobelievethatinsomeplacestheAlmightyhasmadeslaverynecessarilyeternal。Thispolicycanbebroughttoprevailifthepeoplecanbebroughtroundtosayhonestly，"Wedon’tcare"；ifnot，itcanneverbemaintained。Itisforyoutosaywhetherthatcanbedone。

Youarereadytosayitcannot，butbenottoofast！RememberwhatalongstridehasbeentakensincetherepealoftheMissouriCompromise！DoyouknowofanyDemocrat，ofeitherbranchoftheparty——doyouknowonewhodeclaresthathebelievesthattheDeclarationofIndependencehasanyapplicationtothenegro？JudgeTaneydeclares