按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
was the condition in which we found ourselves when we established
this government。 We had slaves among us； we could not get our
Constitution unless we permitted them to remain in slavery； we could
not secure the good we did secure if we grasped for more； and having
by necessity submitted to that much； it does not destroy the
principle that is the charter of our liberties。 Let the charter
remain as our standard。〃
Now； I have upon all occasions declared as strongly as Judge Douglas
against the disposition to interfere with the existing institution of
slavery。 You hear me read it from the same speech from which he
takes garbled extracts for the purpose of proving upon me a
disposition to interfere with the institution of slavery； and
establish a perfect social and political equality between negroes and
white people。
Allow me while upon this subject briefly to present one other extract
from a speech of mine； more than a year ago； at Springfield； in
discussing this very same question； soon after Judge Douglas took his
ground that negroes were； not included in the Declaration of
Independence：
〃I think the authors of that notable instrument intended to include
all men； but they did not mean to declare all men equal in all
respects。 They did not mean to say all men were equal in color；
size； intellect； moral development； or social capacity。 They defined
with tolerable distinctness in what they did consider all men created
equal；equal in certain inalienable rights； among which are life；
liberty； and the pursuit of happiness。 This they said； and this they
meant。 They did not mean to assert the obvious untruth that all were
then actually enjoying that equality； or yet that they were about to
confer it immediately upon them。 In fact they had no power to confer
such a boon。 They meant simply to declare the right； so that the
enforcement of it might follow as fast as circumstances should
permit。
〃They meant to set up a standard maxim for free society which should
be familiar to all；constantly looked to； constantly labored for；
and even； though never perfectly attained； constantly approximated；
and thereby constantly spreading and deepening its influence； and
augmenting the happiness and value of life to all people； of all
colors； everywhere。〃
There again are the sentiments I have expressed in regard to the
Declaration of Independence upon a former occasion；sentiments which
have been put in print and read wherever anybody cared to know what
so humble an individual as myself chose to say in regard to it。
At Galesburgh； the other day； I said； in answer to Judge Douglas；
that three years ago there never had been a man； so far as I knew or
believed； in the whole world； who had said that the Declaration of
Independence did not include negroes in the term 〃all men。〃 I
reassert it to…day。 I assert that Judge Douglas and all his friends
may search the whole records of the country； and it will be a matter
of great astonishment to me if they shall be able to find that one
human being three years ago had ever uttered the astounding sentiment
that the term 〃all men〃 in the Declaration did not include the negro。
Do not let me be misunderstood。 I know that more than three years
ago there were men who； finding this assertion constantly in the way
of their schemes to bring about the ascendency and perpetuation of
slavery； denied the truth of it。 I know that Mr。 Calhoun and all the
politicians of his school denied the truth of the Declaration。 I
know that it ran along in the mouth of some Southern men for a period
of years； ending at last in that shameful； though rather forcible；
declaration of Pettit of Indiana； upon the floor of the United States
Senate； that the Declaration of Independence was in that respect 〃a
self…evident lie；〃 rather than a self…evident truth。 But I say； with
a perfect knowledge of all this hawking at the Declaration without
directly attacking it； that three years ago there never had lived a
man who had ventured to assail it in the sneaking way of pretending
to believe it； and then asserting it did not include the negro。 I
believe the first man who ever said it was Chief Justice Taney in the
Dred Scott case； and the next to him was our friend Stephen A。
Douglas。 And now it has become the catchword of the entire party。 I
would like to call upon his friends everywhere to consider how they
have come in so short a time to view this matter in a way so entirely
different from their former belief； to ask whether they are not being
borne along by an irresistible current；whither； they know not。
In answer to my proposition at Galesburgh last week； I see that some
man in Chicago has got up a letter； addressed to the Chicago Times；
to show； as he professes； that somebody had said so before； and he
signs himself 〃An Old…Line Whig；〃 if I remember correctly。 In the
first place； I would say he was not an old…line Whig。 I am somewhat
acquainted with old…line Whigs from the origin to the end of that
party； I became pretty well acquainted with them； and I know they
always had some sense； whatever else you could ascribe to them。 I
know there never was one who had not more sense than to try to show
by the evidence he produces that some men had； prior to the time I
named； said that negroes were not included in the term 〃all men〃 in
the Declaration of Independence。 What is the evidence he produces？
I will bring forward his evidence； and let you see what he offers by
way of showing that somebody more than three years ago had said
negroes were not included in the Declaration。 He brings forward part
of a speech from Henry Clay；the part of the speech of Henry Clay
which I used to bring forward to prove precisely the contrary。 I
guess we are surrounded to some extent to…day by the old friends of
Mr。 Clay； and they will be glad to hear anything from that authority。
While he was in Indiana a man presented a petition to liberate his
negroes； and he （Mr。 Clay） made a speech in answer to it； which I
suppose he carefully wrote out himself and caused to be published。 I
have before me an extract from that speech which constitutes the
evidence this pretended 〃Old…Line Whig〃 at Chicago brought forward to
show that Mr。 Clay did n't suppose the negro was included in the
Declaration of Independence。 Hear what Mr。 Clay said：
〃And what is the foundation of this appeal to me in Indiana to
liberate the slaves under my care in Kentucky？ It is a general
declaration in the act announcing to the world the independence of
the thirteen American colonies； that all men are created equal。 Now；
as an abstract principle； there is no doubt of the truth of that
declaration； and it is desirable； in the original construction of
society and in organized societies； to keep it in view as a great
fundamental principle。 But； then； I apprehend that in no society
that ever did exist； or ever shall be formed； was or can the equality
asserted among the members of the human race be practically enforced
and carried out。 There are portions； large portions； women； minors；
insane； culprits； transient sojourners； that will always probably
remain subject to the government of another portion of the community。
〃That declaration； whatever may be the extent of its import； was made
by the delegations of the thirteen States。 In most of them slavery
existed； and had long existed； and was established by law。 It was
introduced and forced upon the colonies by the paramount law of
England。 Do you believe that in making that declaration the States
that concurred in it intended that it should be tortured into a
virtual emancipation of all the slaves within their respective
limits？ Would Virginia and other Southern States have ever united in
a declaration which was to be interpreted into an abolition of
slavery among them？ Did any one of the thirteen colonies entertain
such a design or expectation？ To impute such a secret and unavowed
purpose； would be to charge a political fraud upon the noblest band
of patriots that ever assembled in council；a fraud upon the
Confederacy of the Revolution； a fraud upon the union of those States
whose Constitution not only recognized the lawfulness of slavery； but
permitted the importation of slaves from Africa until the year 1808。〃
This is the entire quotation brought forward to prove that somebody
previous to three years ago had said the negro was not included in
the term 〃all men〃 in the Declaration。 How does it do so？ In what
way has it a tendency to prove that？ Mr。 Clay says it is true as an
abstract principle that all men are created equal； but that we cannot
practically apply it in all eases。 He illustrates this by bringing
forward the cases of females； minors； and insane persons； with whom
it cannot be enforced； but he says it is true as an abstract
principle in the organization of society as well as in organize