" Certainly the negro is not our equal in
colour, perhaps not in many other respects. Still, in the right to put
into his mouth the bread that his own hands have earned, he is the equal
of every other man, white or black. In pointing out that more has been
given you, you cannot be justified in taking away the little which has
been given him. All I ask for the negro is, that if you do not like him,
let him alone. If God gave him but little, that little let him enjoy.
... One more point on this Springfield speech, which Judge Douglas says
he has read so carefully. I expressed my belief in the existence of a
conspiracy to perpetuate and nationalize slavery. I did not profess to
know it, nor do I now. I showed the part Judge Douglas had played in the
string of facts, constituting to my mind the proof of that conspiracy. I
showed the parts played by others.
I charged that the people had been deceived into carrying the last
presidential election, by the impression that the people of the
Territories might exclude slavery if they chose, when it was known in
advance by the conspirators that the court was to decide that neither
Congress nor the people could so exclude slavery.
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