speeches in the lobby to show how villainous that decision was, and how
it ought to be overthrown? Did he not succeed, too, in getting an act
passed by the Legislature to have it overthrown? And did n't he himself
sit down on that bench as one of the five added judges, who were to
overslaugh the four old ones, getting his name of "judge" in that way,
and no other? If there is a villainy in using disrespect or making
opposition to Supreme Court decisions, I commend it to Judge Douglas's
earnest consideration. I know of no man in the State of Illinois who
ought to know so well about how much villainy it takes to oppose a
decision of the Supreme Court as our honorable friend Stephen A. Douglas.

Judge Douglas also makes the declaration that I say the Democrats are
bound by the Dred Scott decision, while the Republicans are not. In the
sense in which he argues, I never said it; but I will tell you what I
have said and what I do not hesitate to repeat to-day. I have said that
as the Democrats believe that decision to be correct, and that the
extension of slavery is affirmed in the National Constitution, they are
bound to support it as such; and I will tell you here that General
Jackson once said each man was bound to support the Constitution "as he
understood it." Now, Judge Douglas understands the Constitution according
to the Dred Scott decision, and he is bound to support it as he
understands it. I understand it another way, and therefore I am bound to
support it in the way in which I understand it. And as Judge Douglas
believes that decision to be correct, I will remake that argument if I
have time to do so. Let me talk to some gentleman down there among you
who looks me in the face. We will say you are a member of the Territorial
Legislature, and, like Judge Douglas, you believe that the right to take
and hold slaves there is a constitutional right The first thing you do is
to swear you will support the Constitution, and all rights guaranteed
therein; that you will, whenever your neighbor needs your legislation to