remarks upon this subject uses the language which I will now read.
Speaking of me, the Judge says:

"He goes on and insists that the Dred Scott decision would carry slavery
into the free States, notwithstanding the decision itself says the
contrary." And he adds:

"Mr. Lincoln knows that there is no member of the Supreme Court that
holds that doctrine. He knows that every one of them in their opinions
held the reverse."

I especially introduce this subject again for the purpose of saying that
I have the Dred Scott decision here, and I will thank Judge Douglas to
lay his finger upon the place in the entire opinions of the court where
any one of them "says the contrary." It is very hard to affirm a negative
with entire confidence. I say, however, that I have examined that
decision with a good deal of care, as a lawyer examines a decision and,
so far as I have been able to do so, the court has nowhere in its
opinions said that the States have the power to exclude slavery, nor have
they used other language substantially that, I also say, so far as I can
find, not one of the concurring judges has said that the States can
exclude slavery, nor said anything that was substantially that. The
nearest approach that any one of them has made to it, so far as I can
find, was by Judge Nelson, and the approach he made to it was exactly, in
substance, the Nebraska Bill,--that the States had the exclusive power
over the question of slavery, so far as they are not limited by the
Constitution of the United States. I asked the question, therefore, if
the non-concurring judges, McLean or Curtis, had asked to get an express
declaration that the States could absolutely exclude slavery from their
limits, what reason have we to believe that it would not have been voted