Having made that speech with the most kindly feelings toward Judge
Douglas, as manifested therein, I was gratified when I found that he had
carefully examined it, and had detected no error of fact, nor any
inference against him, nor any misrepresentations, of which he thought
fit to complain.... He seizes upon the doctrines he supposes to be
included in that speech, and declares that upon them will turn the
issues of the campaign. He then quotes, or attempts to quote, from my
speech. I will not say that he wilfully misquotes, but he does fail to
quote accurately. His attempt at quoting is from a passage which I
believe I can quote accurately from memory. I shall make the quotation
now, with some comments upon it, as I have already said, in order that
the Judge shall be left entirely without excuse for misrepresenting me.
I do so now, as I hope, for the last time. I do this in great caution,
in order that if he repeats his misrepresentation, it shall be plain to
all that he does so wilfully. If, after all, he still persists, I shall
be compelled to reconstruct the course I have marked out for myself, and
draw upon such humble resources as I have for a new course, better
suited to the real exigencies of the case. I set out in this campaign
with the intention of conducting it strictly as a gentleman, in
substance at least, if not in the outside polish. The latter I shall
never be, but that which constitutes the inside of a gentleman I hope I
understand, and am not less inclined to practise than others. It was my
purpose and expectation that this canvass would be conducted upon
principle, and with fairness on both sides, and it shall not be my fault
if this purpose and expectation shall be given up.
He charges, in substance, that I invite a war of sections; that I
propose all local institutions of the different States shall become
consolidated and uniform. What is there in the language of that speech
which expresses such purpose or bears such construction? I have again
and again said that I would not enter into any one of the States to
disturb the institution of slavery. Judge Douglas said at Bloomington
that I used language most able and ingenious for concealing what I
really meant; and that while I had protested against entering into the
slave States, I nevertheless did mean to go on the banks of the Ohio and
throw missiles into Kentucky, to disturb them in their domestic
institutions.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account