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low…water trip on a steamboat from Louisville to St。 Louis。 You
may remember； as I well do； that from Louisville to the mouth of
the Ohio there were on board ten or a dozen slaves shackled
together with irons。 That sight was a continued torment to me；
and I see something like it every time I touch the Ohio or any
other slave border。 It is not fair for you to assume that I have
no interest in a thing which has； and continually exercises； the
power of making me miserable。 You ought rather to appreciate how
much the great body of the Northern people do crucify their
feelings； in order to maintain their loyalty to the Constitution
and the Union。 I do oppose the extension of slavery because my
judgment and feeling so prompt me； and I am under no obligations
to the contrary。 If for this you and I must differ； differ we
must。 You say； if you were President； you would send an army and
hang the leaders of the Missouri outrages upon the Kansas
elections； still； if Kansas fairly votes herself a slave State
she must be admitted or the Union must be dissolved。 But how if
she votes herself a slave State unfairly； that is； by the very
means for which you say you would hang men？ Must she still be
admitted； or the Union dissolved？ That will be the phase of the
question when it first becomes a practical one。 In your
assumption that there may be a fair decision of the slavery
question in Kansas； I plainly see you and I would differ about
the Nebraska law。 I look upon that enactment not as a law； but
as a violence from the beginning。 It was conceived in violence；
is maintained in violence； and is being executed in violence。 I
say it was conceived in violence； because the destruction of the
Missouri Compromise； under the circumstances； was nothing less
than violence。 It was passed in violence because it could not
have passed at all but for the votes of many members in violence
of the known will of their constituents。 It is maintained in
violence； because the elections since clearly demand its repeal；
and the demand is openly disregarded。
You say men ought to be hung for the way they are executing the
law； I say the way it is being executed is quite as good as any
of its antecedents。 It is being executed in the precise way
which was intended from the first； else why does no Nebraska man
express astonishment or condemnation？ Poor Reeder is the only
public man who has been silly enough to believe that anything
like fairness was ever intended； and he has been bravely
undeceived。
That Kansas will form a slave constitution； and with it will ask
to be admitted into the Union； I take to be already a settled
question； and so settled by the very means you so pointedly
condemn。 By every principle of law ever held by any court North
or South； every negro taken to Kansas is free； yet； in utter
disregard of this；in the spirit of violence merely；that
beautiful Legislature gravely passes a law to hang any man who
shall venture to inform a negro of his legal rights。 This is the
subject and real object of the law。 If； like Haman； they should
hang upon the gallows of their own building； I shall not be among
the mourners for their fate。 In my humble sphere； I shall
advocate the restoration of the Missouri Compromise so long as
Kansas remains a Territory； and when； by all these foul means； it
seeks to come into the Union as a slave State； I shall oppose it。
I am very loath in any case to withhold my assent to the
enjoyment of property acquired or located in good faith； but I do
not admit that good faith in taking a negro to Kansas to be held
in slavery is a probability with any man。 Any man who has sense
enough to be the controller of his own property has too much
sense to misunderstand the outrageous character of the whole
Nebraska business。 But I digress。 In my opposition to the
admission of Kansas I shall have some company； but we may be
beaten。 If we are； I shall not on that account attempt to
dissolve the Union。 I think it probable； however； we shall be
beaten。 Standing as a unit among yourselves； You can； directly
and indirectly； bribe enough of our men to carry the day； as you
could on the open proposition to establish a monarchy。 Get hold
of some man in the North whose position and ability is such that
he can make the support of your measure； whatever it may be； a
Democratic party necessity； and the thing is done。 Apropos of
this； let me tell you an anecdote。 Douglas introduced the
Nebraska Bill in January。 In February afterward there was a
called session of the Illinois Legislature。 Of the one hundred
members composing the two branches of that body； about seventy
were Democrats。 These latter held a caucus in which the Nebraska
Bill was talked of； if not formally discussed。 It was thereby
discovered that just three； and no more； were in favor of the
measure。 In a day or two Douglas's orders came on to have
resolutions passed approving the bill； and they were passed by
large majorities！！！！ The truth of this is vouched for by a
bolting Democratic member。 The masses； too； Democratic as well
as Whig； were even nearer unanimous against it； but； as soon as
the party necessity of supporting it became apparent； the way the
Democrats began to see the wisdom and justice of it was perfectly
astonishing。
You say that if Kansas fairly votes herself a free State； as a
Christian you will rejoice at it。 All decent slaveholders talk
that way； and I do not doubt their candor。 But they never vote
that way。 Although in a private letter or conversation you will
express your preference that Kansas shall be free； you would vote
for no man for Congress who would say the same thing publicly。
No such man could be elected from any district in a slave State。
You think Stringfellow and company ought to be hung； and yet at
the next Presidential election you will vote for the exact type
and representative of Stringfellow。 The slave…breeders and
slave…traders are a small； odious； and detested class among you；
and yet in politics they dictate the course of all of you； and
are as completely your masters as you are the master of your own
negroes。 You inquire where I now stand。 That is a disputed
point。 I think I am a Whig； but others say there are no Whigs；
and that I am an Abolitionist。 When I was at Washington； I voted
for the Wilmot Proviso as good as forty times； and I never heard
of any one attempting to un…Whig me for that。 I now do no more
than oppose the extension of slavery。 I am not a Know…Nothing；
that is certain。 How could I be？ How can any one who abhors the
oppression of negroes be in favor of degrading classes of white
people？ Our progress in degeneracy appears to me to be pretty
rapid。 As a nation we began by declaring that 〃all men are
created equal。〃 We now practically read it 〃all men are created
equal； except negroes。〃 When the Know…Nothings get control； it
will read 〃all men are creat