太子爷小说网 > 英语电子书 > the writings-4 >

第14节

the writings-4-第14节

小说: the writings-4 字数: 每页4000字

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!




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 down by the majority of the judges; just as Chase's

amendment was voted down by Judge Douglas and his compeers when it

was offered to the Nebraska Bill。



Also; at Galesburgh; I said something in regard to those Springfield

resolutions that Judge Douglas had attempted to use upon me at

Ottawa; and commented at some length upon the fact that they were; as

presented; not genuine。  Judge Douglas in his reply to me seemed to

be somewhat exasperated。  He said he would never have believed that

Abraham Lincoln; as he kindly called me; would have attempted such a

thing as I had attempted upon that occasion; and among other

expressions which he used toward me; was that I dared to say forgery;

that I had dared to say forgery 'turning to Judge Douglas'。  Yes;

Judge; I did dare to say forgery。  But in this political canvass the

Judge ought to remember that I was not the first who dared to say

forgery。  At Jacksonville; Judge Douglas made a speech in answer to

something said by Judge Trumbull; and at the close of what he said

upon that subject; he dared to say that Trumbull had forged his

evidence。  He said; too; that he should not concern himself with

Trumbull any more; but thereafter he should hold Lincoln responsible

for the slanders upon him。  When I met him at Charleston after that;

although I think that I should not have noticed the subject if he had

not said he would hold me responsible for it; I spread out before him

the statements of the evidence that Judge Trumbull had used; and I

asked Judge Douglas; piece by piece; to put his finger upon one piece

of all that evidence that he would say was a forgery!  When I went

through with each and every piece; Judge Douglas did not dare then to

say that any piece of it was a forgery。  So it seems that there are

some things that Judge Douglas dares to do; and some that he dares

not to do。



'A voice: It is the same thing with you。'



Yes; sir; it is the same thing with me。  I do dare to say forgery

when it is true; and don't dare to say forgery when it is false。  Now

I will say here to this audience and to Judge Douglas I have not

dared to say he committed a forgery; and I never shall until I know

it; but I did dare to sayjust to suggest to the Judgethat a

forgery had been committed; which by his own showing had been traced

to him and two of his friends。  I dared to suggest to him that he had

expressly promised in one of his public speeches to investigate that

matter; and I dared to suggest to him that there was an implied

promise that when he investigated it he would make known the result。

I dared to suggest to the Judge that he could not expect to be quite

clear of suspicion of that fraud; for since the time that promise was

made he had been with those friends; and had not kept his promise in

regard to the investigation and the report upon it。  I am not a very

daring man; but I dared that much; Judge; and I am not much scared

about it yet。  When the Judge says he would n't have believed of

Abraham Lincoln that he would have made such an attempt as that he

reminds me of the fact that he entered upon this canvass with the

purpose to treat me courteously; that touched me somewhat。  It sets

me to thinking。  I was aware; when it was first agreed that Judge

Douglas and I were to have these seven joint discussions; that they

were the successive acts of a drama; perhaps I should say; to be

enacted; not merely in the face of audiences like this; but in the

face of the nation; and to some extent; by my relation to him; and

not from anything in myself; in the face of the world; and I am

anxious that they should be conducted with dignity and in the good

temper which would be befitting the vast audiences before which it

was conducted。  But when Judge Douglas got home from Washington and

made his first speech in Chicago; the evening afterward I made some

sort of a reply to it。  His second speech was made at Bloomington; in

which he commented upon my speech at Chicago and said that I had used

language ingeniously contrived to conceal my intentions; or words to

that effect。  Now; I understand that this is an imputation upon my

veracity and my candor。  I do not know what the Judge understood by

it; but in our first discussion; at Ottawa; he led off by charging a

bargain; somewhat corrupt in its character; upon Trumbull and

myself;that we had entered into a bargain; one of the terms of

which was that Trumbull was to Abolitionize the old Democratic party;

and I (Lincoln) was to Abolitionize the old Whig party; I pretending

to be as good an old…line Whig as ever。  Judge Douglas may not

understand that he implicated my truthfulness and my honor when he

said I was doing one thing and pretending another; and I

misunderstood him if he thought he was treating me in a dignified

way; as a man of honor and truth; as he now claims he was disposed to

treat me。  Even after that time; at Galesburgh; when he brings

forward an extract from a speech made at Chicago and an extract from

a speech made at Charleston; to prove that I was trying to play a

double part; that I was trying to cheat the public; and get votes

upon one set of principles at one place; and upon another set of

principles at another place;I do not understand but what he

impeaches my honor; my veracity; and my candor; and because he does

this; I do not understand that I am bound; if I see a truthful ground

for it; to keep my hands off of him。  As soon as I learned that Judge

Douglas was disposed to treat me in this way; I signified in one of

my speeches that I should be driven to draw upon whatever of humble

resources I might have;to adopt a new course with him。  I was not

entirely sure that I should be able to hold my own with him; but I at

least had the purpose made to do as well as I could upon him; and now

I say that I will not be the first to cry 〃Hold。〃  I think it

originated with the Judge; and when he quits; I probably will。  But I

shall not ask any favors at all。  He asks me; or he asks the

audience; if I wish to push this matter to the point of personal

difficulty。  I tell him; no。  He did not make a mistake; in one of

his early speeches; when he called me an 〃amiable〃 man; though

perhaps he did when he called me an 〃intelligent〃 man。  It really

hurts me very much to suppose that I have wronged anybody on earth。

I again tell him; no!  I very much prefer; when this canvass shall be

over; however it may result; that we at least part without any bitter

recollections of personal difficulties。



The Judge; in his concluding speech at Galesburgh; says that I was

pushing this matter to a personal difficulty; to avoid the

responsibility for the enormity of my principles。  I say to the Judge

and this audience; now; that I will again state our principles; as

well as I hastily can; in all their enormity; and if the Judge

hereafter chooses to confine himself to a war upon these principles;

he will probably not find me departing from the same course。



We have in this nation this element of domestic slavery。  It is a

matter of absolute certainty that it is a disturbing element。  It is

the opinion of all the gr

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0

你可能喜欢的