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A。 LINCOLN。
ON SLAVERY IN A DEMOCRACY。
August ？？； 1858
As I would not be a slave； so I would not be a master。 This
expresses my idea of democracy。 Whatever differs from this； to the
extent of the difference； is no democracy。
A。 LINCOLN。
TO B。 C。 COOK。
SPRINGFIELD； August 2； 1858
HON。 B。 C。 COOK。
MY DEAR SIR：I have a letter from a very true friend； and
intelligent man； writing that there is a plan on foot in La Salle and
Bureau； to run Douglas Republican for Congress and for the
Legislature in those counties； if they can only get the encouragement
of our folks nominating pretty extreme abolitionists。 It is thought
they will do nothing if our folks nominate men who are not very
＇undecipherable word looks like 〃obnoxious〃＇ to the charge of
abolitionism。 Please have your eye upon this。 Signs are looking
pretty fair。
Yours very truly；
A。 LINCOLN。
TO DR。 WILLIAM FITHIAN； DANVILLE； ILL。
BLOOMINGTON； Sept。 3； 1858
DEAR DOCTOR：Yours of the 1st was received this morning； as also one
from Mr。 Harmon； and one from Hiram Beckwith on the same subject。
You will see by the Journal that I have been appointed to speak at
Danville on the 22d of Sept。；the day after Douglas speaks there。
My recent experience shows that speaking at the same place the next
day after D。 is the very thing；it is； in fact； a concluding speech
on him。 Please show this to Messrs。 Harmon and Beckwith； and tell
them they must excuse me from writing separate letters to them。
Yours as ever；
A。 LINCOLN
P。 S。Give full notice to all surrounding country。
A。L。
FRAGMENT OF SPEECH AT PARIS； ILL。；
SEPT。 8； 1858。
Let us inquire what Judge Douglas really invented when he introduced
the Nebraska Bill？ He called it Popular Sovereignty。 What does that
mean？ It means the sovereignty of the people over their own affairs
in other words； the right of the people to govern themselves。 Did
Judge Douglas invent this？ Not quite。 The idea of popular
sovereignty was floating about several ages before the author of the
Nebraska Bill was bornindeed； before Columbus set foot on this
continent。 In the year 1776 it took form in the noble words which
you are all familiar with： 〃We hold these truths to be self…evident；
that all men are created equal；〃 etc。 Was not this the origin of
popular sovereignty as applied to the American people？ Here we are
told that governments are instituted among men deriving their just
powers from the consent of the governed。 If that is not popular
sovereignty； then I have no conception of the meaning of words。 If
Judge Douglas did not invent this kind of popular sovereignty； let us
pursue the inquiry and find out what kind he did invent。 Was it the
right of emigrants to Kansas and Nebraska to govern themselves； and a
lot of 〃niggers；〃 too； if they wanted them？ Clearly this was no
invention of his because General Cass put forth the same doctrine in
1848 in his so called Nicholson letter； six years before Douglas
thought of such a thing。 Then what was it that the 〃Little Giant〃
invented？ It never occurred to General Cass to call his discovery by
the odd name of popular sovereignty。 He had not the face to say that
the right of the people to govern 〃niggers〃 was the right of the
people to govern themselves。 His notions of the fitness of things
were not moulded to the brazenness of calling the right to put a
hundred 〃niggers〃 through under the lash in Nebraska a 〃sacred〃 right
of self…government。 And here I submit to you was Judge Douglas's
discovery； and the whole of it： He discovered that the right to breed
and flog negroes in Nebraska was popular sovereignty。
SPEECH AT CLINTON； ILLINOIS；
SEPTEMBER 8； 1858。
The questions are sometimes asked 〃What is all this fuss that is
being made about negroes？ What does it amount to？ And where will it
end？〃 These questions imply that those who ask them consider the
slavery question a very insignificant matter they think that it
amounts to little or nothing and that those who agitate it are
extremely foolish。 Now it must be admitted that if the great
question which has caused so much trouble is insignificant； we are
very foolish to have anything to do with itif it is of no
importance we had better throw it aside and busy ourselves with
something else。 But let us inquire a little into this insignificant
matter； as it is called by some； and see if it is not important
enough to demand the close attention of every well…wisher of the
Union。 In one of Douglas's recent speeches； I find a reference to
one which was made by me in Springfield some time ago。 The judge
makes one quotation from that speech that requires some little notice
from me at this time。 I regret that I have not my Springfield speech
before me； but the judge has quoted one particular part of it so
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 grea