very devoted adherence to this decision, in opposition to all the great
political leaders whom he has recognized as leaders, in opposition to his
former self and history, there is something very marked. And the manner
in which he adheres to it,--not as being right upon the merits, as he
conceives (because he did not discuss that at all), but as being
absolutely obligatory upon every one simply because of the source from
whence it comes, as that which no man can gainsay, whatever it may
be,--this is another marked feature of his adherence to that decision. It
marks it in this respect, that it commits him to the next decision,
whenever it comes, as being as obligatory as this one, since he does not
investigate it, and won't inquire whether this opinion is right or wrong.
So he takes the next one without inquiring whether it is right or wrong.
He teaches men this doctrine, and in so doing prepares the public mind to
take the next decision when it comes, without any inquiry. In this I
think I argue fairly (without questioning motives at all) that Judge
Douglas is most ingeniously and powerfully preparing the public mind to
take that decision when it comes; and not only so, but he is doing it in
various other ways. In these general maxims about liberty, in his
assertions that he "don't care whether slavery is voted up or voted
down,"; that "whoever wants slavery has a right to have it"; that "upon
principles of equality it should be allowed to go everywhere"; that
"there is no inconsistency between free and slave institutions"--in this
he is also preparing (whether purposely or not) the way for making the
institution of slavery national! I repeat again, for I wish no
misunderstanding, that I do not charge that he means it so; but I call
upon your minds to inquire, if you were going to get the best instrument
you could, and then set it to work in the most ingenious way, to prepare
the public mind for this movement, operating in the free States, where
there is now an abhorrence of the institution of slavery, could you find
an instrument so capable of doing it as Judge Douglas, or one employed in