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often that I think I can recollect it。 It runs I think as follows：
〃We are now far into the fifth year since a policy was initiated with
the avowed object and confident promise of putting an end to slavery
agitation。 Under the operation of that policy that agitation has not
only not ceased but has constantly augmented。 In my opinion it will
not cease until a crisis shall have been reached and passed。
〃A house divided against itself cannot stand。 I believe this
government cannot endure permanently half slave and half free。 I do
not expect the Union to be dissolved。 I do not expect the house to
fall； but I do expect it will cease to be divided。 It will become
all one thing or all the other。 Either the opponents of slavery will
arrest the further spread of it and place it where the public mind
shall rest in the belief that it is in the course of ultimate
extinction； or its advocates will push it forward till it shall
become alike lawful in all the States； old as well as new； North as
well as South。〃
Judge Douglas makes use of the above quotation； and finds a great
deal of fault with it。 He deals unfairly with me； and tries to make
the people of this State believe that I advocated dangerous doctrines
in my Springfield speech。 Let us see if that portion of my
Springfield speech of which Judge Douglas complains so bitterly； is
as objectionable to others as it is to him。 We are； certainly； far
into the fifth year since a policy was initiated with the avowed
object and confident promise of putting an end to slavery agitation。
On the fourth day of January； 1854； Judge Douglas introduced the
Kansas…Nebraska bill。 He initiated a new policy； and that policy； so
he says； was to put an end to the agitation of the slavery question。
Whether that was his object or not I will not stop to discuss； but at
all events some kind of a policy was initiated； and what has been the
result？ Instead of the quiet and good feeling which were promised us
by the self…styled author of Popular Sovereignty； we have had nothing
but ill…feeling and agitation。 According to Judge Douglas； the
passage of the Nebraska bill would tranquilize the whole country
there would be no more slavery agitation in or out of Congress； and
the vexed question would be left entirely to the people of the
Territories。 Such was the opinion of Judge Douglas； and such were
the opinions of the leading men of the Democratic Party。 Even as
late as the spring of 1856 Mr。 Buchanan said； a short time subsequent
to his nomination by the Cincinnati convention； that the territory of
Kansas would be tranquil in less than six weeks。 Perhaps he thought
so； but Kansas has not been and is not tranquil； and it may be a long
time before she may be so。
We all know how fierce the agitation was in Congress last winter； and
what a narrow escape Kansas had from being admitted into the Union
with a constitution that was detested by ninety…nine hundredths of
her citizens。 Did the angry debates which took place at Washington
during the last season of Congress lead you to suppose that the
slavery agitation was settled？
An election was held in Kansas in the month of August； and the
constitution which was submitted to the people was voted down by a
large majority。 So Kansas is still out of the Union； and there is a
probability that she will remain out for some time。 But Judge
Douglas says the slavery question is settled。 He says the bill he
introduced into the Senate of the United States on the 4th day of
January； 1854； settled the slavery question forever！ Perhaps he can
tell us how that bill settled the slavery question； for if he is able
to settle a question of such great magnitude he ought to be able to
explain the manner in which he does it。 He knows and you know that
the question is not settled； and that his ill…timed experiment to
settle it has made it worse than it ever was before。
And now let me say a few words in regard to Douglas's great hobby of
negro equality。 He thinkshe says at leastthat the Republican
party is in favor of allowing whites and blacks to intermarry； and
that a man can't be a good Republican unless he is willing to elevate
black men to office and to associate with them on terms of perfect
equality。 He knows that we advocate no such doctrines as these； but
he cares not how much he misrepresents us if he can gain a few votes
by so doing。 To show you what my opinion of negro equality was in
times past； and to prove to you that I stand on that question where I
always stood； I will read you a few extracts from a speech that was
made by me in Peoria in 1854。 It was made in reply to one of Judge
Douglas's speeches。
（Mr。 Lincoln then read a number of extracts which had the ring of the
true metal。 We have rarely heard anything with which we have been
more pleased。 And the audience after hearing the extracts read； and
comparing their conservative sentiments with those now advocated by
Mr。 Lincoln； testified their approval by loud applause。 How any
reasonable man can hear one of Mr。 Lincoln's speeches without being
converted to Republicanism is something that we can't account for。
Ed。）
Slavery； continued Mr。 Lincoln； is not a matter of little importance；
it overshadows every other question in which we are interested。 It
has divided the Methodist and Presbyterian churches； and has sown
discord in the American Tract Society。 The churches have split and
the society will follow their example before long。 So it will be
seen that slavery is agitated in the religious as well as in the
political world。
Judge Douglas is very much afraid in the triumph that the Republican
party will lead to a general mixture of the white and black races。
Perhaps I am wrong in saying that he is afraid； so I will correct
myself by saying that he pretends to fear that the success of our
party will result in the amalgamation of the blacks and whites。 I
think I can show plainly； from documents now before me； that Judge
Douglas's fears are groundless。 The census of 1800 tells us that in
that year there were over four hundred thousand mulattoes in the
United States。 Now let us take what is called an Abolition State
the Republican； slavery…hating State of New Hampshireand see how
many mulattoes we can find within her borders。 The number amounts to
just one hundred and eighty…four。 In the Old Dominionin the
Democratic and aristocratic State of Virginiathere were a few more
mulattoes than the Census…takers found in New Hampshire。 How many do
you suppose there were？ Seventy…nine thousand； seven hundred and
seventy…fivetwenty…three thousand more than there were in all the
free States！ In the slave States there were in 1800； three
hundred and forty…eight thousand mulattoes all of home production；
and in the free States there were less than sixty thousand mulattoes
and a large number of them were imported from the South。
FRAGMENT OF SPEECH AT