is dearly
and unquestionably the light in which he presents that matter, I want to
ask your attention, addressing myself to the Republicans here, that I may
ask you some questions as to where you, as the Republican party, would
be placed if you sustained Judge Douglas in his present position by a
re-election? I do not claim, gentlemen, to be unselfish; I do not pretend
that I would not like to go to the United States Senate,--I make no such
hypocritical pretense; but I do say to you that in this mighty issue it is
nothing to you--nothing to the mass of the people of the nation,--whether
or not Judge Douglas or myself shall ever be heard of after this night;
it may be a trifle to either of us, but in connection with this mighty
question, upon which hang the destinies of the nation, perhaps, it is
absolutely nothing: but where will you be placed if you reindorse Judge
Douglas? Don't you know how apt he is, how exceedingly anxious he is at
all times, to seize upon anything and everything to persuade you that
something he has done you did yourselves? Why, he tried to persuade you
last night that our Illinois Legislature instructed him to introduce the
Nebraska Bill. There was nobody in that Legislature ever thought of such a
thing; and when he first introduced the bill, he never thought of it; but
still he fights furiously for the proposition, and that he did it because
there was a standing instruction to our Senators to be always introducing
Nebraska bills. He tells you he is for the Cincinnati platform, he tells
you he is for the Dred Scott decision. He tells you, not in his speech
last night, but substantially in a former speech, that he cares not if
slavery is voted up or down; he tells you the struggle on Lecompton is
past; it may come up again or not, and if it does, he stands where
he stood when, in spite of him and his opposition, you built up the
Republican party. If you indorse him, you tell him you do not care whether
slavery be voted up or down, and he will close or try to close your mouths
with his declaration, repeated by the day, the week, the month, and the
year. Is that what you mean? [Cries of "No," one voice "Yes."] Yes, I have
no doubt you who have always been for him, if you mean that. No doubt of
that, soberly I have said, and I repeat it. I think, in the position in
which Judge Douglas stood in opposing the Lecompton Constitution, he was
right; he does not know that it will return, but if it does we may