ple. While I had not proposed to myself on this
occasion to say much on that subject, yet, as the question was asked me, I
thought I would occupy perhaps five minutes in saying something in regard
to it. 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, or
intermarry with the white people; and I will say in addition to this that
there is a physical difference between the white and black races which
I believe will forever forbid the two races living together on terms of
social and political equality. And inasmuch as they can not so live,
while they do remain together there must be the position of superior
and inferior, and I, as much as any other man, am in favor of having the
superior position assigned to the white race. I say upon this occasion
I do not perceive that because the white man is to have the superior
position, the negro should be denied everything. I do not understand that
because I do not want a negro woman for a slave, I must necessarily want
her for a wife. My understanding is that I can just let her alone. I am
now in my fiftieth year, and I certainly never have had a black woman for
either a slave or a wife. So it seems to me quite possible for us to get
along without making either slaves or wives of negroes. I will add to this
that I have never seen, to my knowledge, a man, woman, or child, who was
in favor of producing perfect equality, social and political, between
negroes and white men. I recollect of but one distinguished instance that
I ever heard of so frequently as to be satisfied of its correctness, and
that is the case of Judge Douglas's old friend Colonel Richard M. Johnson.
I will also add to the remarks I have made (for I am not going to enter
at large upon this subject), that I have never had the least apprehension
that I or my friends would marry negroes, if there was no law to keep
them from it; but as judge Douglas and his friends seem to be in great
apprehension that they might, if there were no law to keep them from it, I
give him the most solemn pledge that I will to the very last stand by the
law of the State which forbids the marrying of white people with negroes."

There, my friends, you have briefly what I have, upon former occasions,
said upon this subject