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assurance that we are content with our position； content with our
company； and content with our candidate； and that although they；
in their generous sympathy； think we ought to be miserable； we
really are not； and that they may dismiss the great anxiety they
have on our account。
Mr。 Speaker； I see I have but three minutes left； and this forces
me to throw out one whole branch of my subject。 A single word on
still another。 The Democrats are keen enough to frequently
remind us that we have some dissensions in our ranks。 Our good
friend from Baltimore immediately before me ＇Mr。 McLane＇
expressed some doubt the other day as to which branch of our
party General Taylor would ultimately fall into the hands of。
That was a new idea to me。 I knew we had dissenters； but I did
not know they were trying to get our candidate away from us。 I
would like to say a word to our dissenters； but I have not the
time。 Some such we certainly have； have you none； gentlemen
Democrats？ Is it all union and harmony in your ranks？ no
bickerings？ no divisions？ If there be doubt as to which of our
divisions will get our candidate； is there no doubt as to which
of your candidates will get your party？ I have heard some things
from New York； and if they are true； one might well say of your
party there； as a drunken fellow once said when he heard the
reading of an indictment for hog…stealing。 The clerk read on
till he got to and through the words； 〃did steal； take； and carry
away ten boars； ten sows； ten shoats； and ten pigs；〃 at which he
exclaimed； 〃Well； by golly； that is the most equally divided gang
of hogs I ever did hear of！〃 If there is any other gang of hogs
more equally divided than the Democrats of New York are about
this time； I have not heard of it。
SPEECH DELIVERED AT WORCESTER； MASS。； ON
SEPT。 12； 1848。
（From the Boston Advertiser。）
Mr。 Kellogg then introduced to the meeting the Hon。 Abram
Lincoln； Whig member of Congress from Illinois； a representative
of free soil。
Mr。 Lincoln has a very tall and thin figure； with an intellectual
face； showing a searching mind； and a cool judgment。 He spoke in
a clear and cool and very eloquent manner； for an hour and a
half； carrying the audience with him in his able arguments and
brilliant illustrationsonly interrupted by warm and frequent
applause。 He began by expressing a real feeling of modesty in
addressing an audience 〃this side of the mountains；〃 a part of
the country where； in the opinion of the people of his section；
everybody was supposed to be instructed and wise。 But he had
devoted his attention to the question of the coming Presidential
election； and was not unwilling to exchange with all whom he
might the ideas to which he had arrived。 He then began to show
the fallacy of some of the arguments against Gen。 Taylor； making
his chief theme the fashionable statement of all those who oppose
him （〃the old Locofocos as well as the new〃） that he has no
principles； and that the Whig party have abandoned their
principles by adopting him as their candidate。 He maintained
that Gen。 Taylor occupied a high and unexceptionable Whig
ground； and took for his first instance and proof of this the
statement in the Allison letterwith regard to the bank； tariff；
rivers and harbors； etc。that the will of the people should
produce its own results； without executive influence。 The
principle that the people should do whatunder the Constitution…
…as they please； is a Whig principle。 All that Gen。 Taylor is not
only to consent to； but appeal to the people to judge and act for
themselves。 And this was no new doctrine for Whigs。 It was the
〃platform〃 on which they had fought all their battles； the
resistance of executive influence； and the principle of enabling
the people to frame the government according to their will。 Gen。
Taylor consents to be the candidate； and to assist the people to
do what they think to be their duty； and think to be best in
their national affairs； but because he don't want to tell what we
ought to do； he is accused of having no principles。 The Whigs
here maintained for years that neither the influence； the duress；
or the prohibition of the executive should control the
legitimately expressed will of the people； and now that； on that
very ground； Gen。 Taylor says that he should use the power given
him by the people to do； to the best of his judgment； the will of
the people； he is accused of want of principle； and of
inconsistency in position。
Mr。 Lincoln proceeded to examine the absurdity of an attempt to
make a platform or creed for a national party； to all parts of
which all must consent and agree； when it was clearly the
intention and the true philosophy of our government； that in
Congress all opinions and principles should be represented； and
that when the wisdom of all had been compared and united； the
will of the majority should be carried out。 On this ground he
conceived （and the audience seemed to go with him） that Gen。
Taylor held correct； sound republican principles。
Mr。 Lincoln then passed to the subject of slavery in the States；
saying that the people of Illinois agreed entirely with the
people of Massachusetts on this subject； except perhaps that they
did not keep so constantly thinking about it。 All agreed that
slavery was an evil； but that we were not responsible for it and
cannot affect it in States of this Union where we do not live。
But the question of the extension of slavery to new territories
of this country is a part of our responsibility and care； and is
under our control。 In opposition to this Mr。 L。 believed that
the self…named 〃Free Soil〃 party was far behind the Whigs。 Both
parties opposed the extension。 As he understood it the new party
had no principle except this opposition。 If their platform held
any other； it was in such a general way that it was like the pair
of pantaloons the Yankee pedlar offered for sale； 〃large enough
for any man； small enough for any boy。〃 They therefore had taken
a position calculated to break down their single important
declared object。 They were working for the election of either
Gen。 Cass or Gen。 Taylor。 The speaker then went on to show；
clearly and eloquently； the danger of extension of slavery；
likely to result from the election of Gen。 Cass。 To unite with
those who annexed the new territory to prevent the extension of
slavery in that territory seemed to him to be in the highest
degree absurd and ridiculous。 Suppose these gentlemen succeed in
electing Mr。 Van Buren； they had no specific means to prevent the
extension of slavery to New Mexico and California； and Gen。
Taylor； he confidently believed； would not encourage it； and
would not prohibit its restriction。 But if Gen。 Cass was
elected； he felt certain that the plans of farther extension of
territory would be encouraged； and those of the extension of
slavery would meet no check。 The