first place, the leading man--I think I may do my friend Judge Douglas
the honor of calling him such advocating the present Democratic policy
never himself says it is wrong. He has the high distinction, so far as I
know, of never having said slavery is either right or wrong. Almost
everybody else says one or the other, but the Judge never does. If there
be a man in the Democratic party who thinks it is wrong, and yet clings
to that party, I suggest to him, in the first place, that his leader
don't talk as he does, for he never says that it is wrong. In the second
place, I suggest to him that if he will examine the policy proposed to be
carried forward, he will find that he carefully excludes the idea that
there is anything wrong in it. If you will examine the arguments that are
made on it, you will find that every one carefully excludes the idea that
there is anything wrong in slavery. Perhaps that Democrat who says he is
as much opposed to slavery as I am will tell me that I am wrong about
this. I wish him to examine his own course in regard to this matter a
moment, and then see if his opinion will not be changed a little. You say
it is wrong; but don't you constantly object to anybody else saying so?
Do you not constantly argue that this is not the right place to oppose
it? You say it must not be opposed in the free States, because slavery is
not here; it must not be opposed in the slave States, because it is
there; it must not be opposed in politics, because that will make a fuss;
it must not be opposed in the pulpit, because it is not religion. Then
where is the place to oppose it? There is no suitable place to oppose it.
There is no place in the country to oppose this evil overspreading the
continent, which you say yourself is coming. Frank Blair and Gratz Brown
tried to get up a system of gradual emancipation in Missouri, had an
election in August, and got beat, and you, Mr. Democrat, threw up your
hat, and hallooed "Hurrah for Democracy!" So I say, again, that in regard
to the arguments that are made, when Judge Douglas Says he "don't care
whether slavery is voted up or voted down," whether he means that as an