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a　perfect　social　and　political　equality　between　the　white　and　black

races。　　These　are　false　issues；　upon　which　Judge　Douglas　has　tried　to

force　the　controversy。　　There　is　no　foundation　in　truth　for　the

charge　that　I　maintain　either　of　these　propositions。　　The　real　issue

in　this　controversythe　one　pressing　upon　every　mindis　the

sentiment　on　the　part　of　one　class　that　looks　upon　the　institution　of

slavery　as　a　wrong；　and　of　another　class　that　does　not　look　upon　it

as　a　wrong。　　The　sentiment　that　contemplates　the　institution　of

slavery　in　this　country　as　a　wrong　is　the　sentiment　of　the　Republican

party。　　It　is　the　sentiment　around　which　all　their　actions；　all　their

arguments；　circle；　from　which　all　their　propositions　radiate。　　They

look　upon　it　as　being　a　moral；　social；　and　political　wrong；　and　while

they　contemplate　it　a；　such；　they　nevertheless　have　due　regard　for

its　actual　existence　among　us；　and　the　difficulties　of　getting　rid　of

it　in　any　satisfactory　way；　and　to　all　the　constitutional　obligations

thrown　about　it。　　Yet；　having　a　due　regard　for　these；　they　desire　a

policy　in　regard　to　it　that　looks　to　its　not　creating　any　more

danger。　　They　insist　that　it　should；　as　far　as　may　be；　be　treated　as

a　wrong；　and　one　of　the　methods　of　treating　it　as　a　wrong　is　to　make

provision　that　it　shall　grow　no　larger。　　They　also　desire　a　policy

that　looks　to　a　peaceful　end　of　slavery　at　some　time。　　These　are　the

views　they　entertain　in　regard　to　it　as　I　understand　them；　and　all

their　sentiments；　all　their　arguments　and　propositions；　are　brought

within　this　range。　　I　have　said；　and　I　repeat　it　here；　that　if　there

be　a　man　amongst　us　who　does　not　think　that　the　institution　of

slavery　is　wrong　in　any　one　of　the　aspects　of　which　I　have　spoken；　he

is　misplaced；　and　ought　not　to　be　with　us。　　And　if　there　be　a　man

amongst　us　who　is　so　impatient　of　it　as　a　wrong　as　to　disregard　its

actual　presence　among　us　and　the　difficulty　of　getting　rid　of　it

suddenly　in　a　satisfactory　way；　and　to　disregard　the　constitutional

obligations　thrown　about　it；　that　man　is　misplaced　if　he　is　on　our

platform。　　We　disclaim　sympathy　with　him　in　practical　action。　　He　is

not　placed　properly　with　us。



On　this　subject　of　treating　it　as　a　wrong；　and　limiting　its　spread；

let　me　say　a　word。　　Has　anything　ever　threatened　the　existence　of

this　Union　save　and　except　this　very　institution　of　slavery？　　What　is

it　that　we　hold　most　dear　amongst　us？　　Our　own　liberty　and

prosperity。　　What　has　ever　threatened　our　liberty　and　prosperity；

save　and　except　this　institution　of　slavery？　　If　this　is　true；　how　do

you　propose　to　improve　the　condition　of　things　by　enlarging　slavery；

by　spreading　it　out　and　making　it　bigger？　　You　may　have　a　wen　or

cancer　upon　your　person；　and　not　be　able　to　cut　it　out；　lest　you

bleed　to　death；　but　surely　it　is　no　way　to　cure　it；　to　engraft　it　and

spread　it　over　your　whole　body。　　That　is　no　proper　way　of　treating

what　you　regard　a　wrong。　　You　see　this　peaceful　way　of　dealing　with

it　as　a　wrong；　restricting　the　spread　of　it；　and　not　allowing　it　to

go　into　new　countries　where　it　has　not　already　existed。　　That　is　the

peaceful　way；　the　old…fashioned　way；　the　way　in　which　the　fathers

themselves　set　us　the　example。



On　the　other　hand；　I　have　said　there　is　a　sentiment　which　treats　it

as　not　being　wrong。　　That　is　the　Democratic　sentiment　of　this　day。　　I

do　not　mean　to　say　that　every　man　who　stands　within　that　range

positively　asserts　that　it　is　right。　　That　class　will　include　all　who

positively　assert　that　it　is　right；　and　all　who；　like　Judge　Douglas；

treat　it　as　indifferent　and　do　not　say　it　is　either　right　or　wrong。

These　two　classes　of　men　fall　within　the　general　class　of　those　who

do　not　look　upon　it　as　a　wrong。　　And　if　there　be　among　you　anybody

who　supposes　that　he；　as　a　Democrat；　can　consider　himself　〃as　much

opposed　to　slavery　as　anybody；〃　I　would　like　to　reason　with　him。　　You

never　treat　it　as　a　wrong。　　What　other　thing　that　you　consider　as　a

wrong　do　you　deal　with　as　you　deal　with　that？　　Perhaps　you　say　it　is

wrongbut　your　leader　never　does；　and　you　quarrel　with　anybody　who

says　it　is　wrong。　　Although　you　pretend　to　say　so　yourself；　you　can

find　no　fit　place　to　deal　with　it　as　a　wrong。　　You　must　not　say

anything　about　it　in　the　free　States；　because　it　is　not　here。　　You

must　not　say　anything　about　it　in　the　slave　States；　because　it　is

there。　　You　must　not　say　anything　about　it　in　the　pulpit；　because

that　is　religion；　and　has　nothing　to　do　with　it。　　You　must　not　say

anything　about　it　in　politics；　because　that　will　disturb　the　security

of　〃my　place。〃　　There　is　no　place　to　talk　about　it　as　being　a　wrong；

although　you　say　yourself　it　is　a　wrong。　　But；　finally；　you　will

screw　yourself　up　to　the　belief　that　if　the　people　of　the　slave

States　should　adopt　a　system　of　gradual　emancipation　on　the　slavery

question；　you　would　be　in　favor　of　it。　　You　would　be　in　favor　of　it。

You　say　that　is　getting　it　in　the　right　place；　and　you　would　be　glad

to　see　it　succeed。　　But　you　are　deceiving　yourself。　　You　all　know

that　Frank　Blair　and　Gratz　Brown；　down　there　in　St。　　Louis；　undertook

to　introduce　that　system　in　Missouri。　　They　fought　as　valiantly　as

they　could　for　the　system　of　gradual　emancipation　which　you　pretend

you　would　be　glad　to　see　succeed。　　Now；　I　will　bring　you　to　the　test。

After　a　hard　fight　they　were　beaten；　and　when　the　news　came　over

here；　you　threw　up　your　hats　and　hurrahed　for　Democracy。　　More　than

that；　take　all　the　argument　made　in　favor　of　the　system　you　have

proposed；　and　it　carefully　excludes　the　idea　that　there　is　anything

wrong　in　the　institution　of　slavery。　　The　arguments　to　sustain　that

policy　carefully　exclude　it。　　Even　here　to…day　you　heard　Judge

Douglas　quarrel　with　me　because　I　uttered　a　wish　that　it　might

sometime　come　to　an　end。　　Although　Henry　Clay　could　say　he　wished

every　slave　in　the　United　States　was　in　the　country　of　his　ancestors；

I　am　denounced　by　those　pretending　to　respect　Henry　Clay　for　uttering

a　wish　that　it　might　sometime；　in　some　peaceful　way；　come　to　an　end。

The　Democratic　policy　in　regard　to　that　institution　will　not　tolerate

the　merest　breath；　the　slightest　hint；　of　the　least　degree　of　wrong

about　it。　　Try　it　by　some　of　Judge　Douglas's　arguments。　　He　says　he

〃don't　care　whether　it　is　voted　up　or　voted　down〃　in　the　Territories。


I　do　not　care　myself；　in　dealing　with　that　expression；　whether　it　is

intended　to　be　expressive　of　his　individual　sentiments　on　the

subject；　or　only　of　the　national　policy　he　desires　to　have

established。　　It　is　alike　valuable　for　my　purpose。　　Any　man　can　say

that　who　does　not　see　anything　wrong　in　slavery；　but　no　man　can

logically　say　it　who　does　see　a　wrong　in　it；　because　no　man　can

logically　say　he　don't　care　whether　a　wrong　is　voted　up　or　voted

down。　　He　may　say　he　don't　care　whether　an　indifferent　thing　is　voted

up　or　down；　but　he　must　logically　have　a　choice　between　a　right　thing

and　a　wrong　thing。