CHAPTER II - REGROUPING IN FREEPORT AUGUST 27, 1858 ABRAHAM
MAN, THAT WAS A BRUTAL DEBATE. THE JUDGE DIDN’T HOLD ANYTHING BACK.
MARY
THIS IS QUITE A BEAUTIFUL BUGGY TRIP ALONG THE ROCK RIVER. I’M LISTENING ABRAHAM.
ABRAHAM
WELL WE HAD A CHOICE OF JUST PLAIN HORSES, TAKING THE TRAIN PART WAY, OR WALKING - WHICH I WOULD GLADLY DO TO DEBATE THE JUDGE.
MARY
NO DOUBT - YOU KNOW THE NEWSPAPERS ARE NOT BEING KIND TO YOU WHAT SO EVER. THEY SAY YOU NEED TO ANSWER THE JUDGE’S QUESTIONS BEFORE YOU GO FURTHER.
ABRAHAM
I GUESS I GOT SIDETRACKED A BIT IN OTTAWA - WAS NOT AS PREPARED AS WE SHOULD BE - BUT THEN AGAIN THERE ARE SIX MORE DEBATES.
MARY
YES I’M WELL AWARE OF THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THESE DEBATES - THEY ARE REALLY GETTING NATIONAL ATTENTION - SAYING YOU TWO ARE FUTURE CANDIDATES FOR EVEN HIGHER POLITICAL OFFICE.
ABRAHAM
I REALLY DON’T KNOW ABOUT THAT. WE NEED TO CONCENTRATE AND WIN FREEPORT. BE ON THE OFFENSIVE. HOPEFULLY THE WEATHER WILL BE GOOD.
MARY
YES - THE FARMERS ALMANAC HAS PREDICTED PERFECT WEATHER.
ABRAHAM
I’M STILL UNSETTLED ABOUT THE AGREED SET UP. TALKING FOR SUCH A LONG TIME MAY BE TO THE JUDGE’S ADVANTAGE.
MARY
WELL WE AGREED TO THE HOUR LONG INITIAL SPEECH 2
FOLLOWED BY AN HOUR AND A HALF REPLY AND A THIRTY MINUTE REJOINDER.
ABRAHAM
WHAT UPSETS BOTH THE JUDGE AND ME IS THE FACT THAT THESE “ PRAIRIE FIRE “ DEBATES ARE A DISQUISITION ON SLAVERY. IT IS THAT SIMPLE. YES WE WILL BE JABBING ON PERIPHERAL ISSUES - BUT IT APPEARS TO BE ALL SLAVERY RELATED FROM START TO FINISH.
MARY
THAT IS POLITICS - MY FATHER IS RUNNING FOR SENATOR IN KENTUCKY AND FINDING OUT THE EXACT SAME THINGS ABOUT ELECTIONS HISTORICALLY AT THIS TIME ESPECIALLY IN A BORDER STATE SUCH AS KENTUCKY.
ABRAHAM
WELL AT LEAST I HAVE A LITTLE UNDERSTANDING OF THE JUDGE FROM THE DEBATES FOUR YEARS PRIOR OVER THE KANSAS NEBRASKA ACT.
MARY
I’M GLAD THESE DEBATES ACTUALLY GIVE THE PEOPLE A CHANCE TO SEE THE CANDIDATES FOR U.S. SENATOR FROM ILLINOIS PERSONALLY. THERE ARE FOLKS COMING FROM MILES AROUND, FAMILIES HAVING PICNICS, MINSTREL SHOWS, CROWDED HOTELS, BARBECUES, AND EVEN PREACHERS GROWING THEIR FLOCK AHEAD OF YOU BOTH.
ABRAHAM
WELL THE NEWSPAPERS HAVE REALLY TAKEN SIDES EVEN THE STENOGRAPHERS. REPORTERS VARY A BIT REGARDING WHAT WAS SAID. YES THE LITTLE MIDGET - AS THE ILLINOIS STATE REGISTER AND CHICAGO DAILY TIMES REFER TO DOUGLAS – HAVE DESCRIBED HIM AS THE ULTIMATE WINNER.
MARY
BUT THE TRIBUNE AND CHICAGO DAILY PRESS AND ILLINOIS STATE JOURNAL GIVE YOU A FIGHTING CHANCE. LOTS OF POLITICAL HYPE AND RHETORIC - ESPECIALLY ABOUT THE KENTUCKY TWANG YOU POSSESS.
ABRAHAM
AND MY PANTS ONLY GETTING TO THE TOP OF MY ANKLES. I GUESS WE NEED TO WORK ON THAT ONE.
MARY
WELL I’VE NEVER HAD SUCH GREAT ICE CREAM AFTER THE DEBATES AS THAT FAMILY IN OTTAWA GAVE US. THEY WERE 3
SO VERY NICE - SEEMED TO KNOW A BUNCH ABOUT THE LINCOLNS.
ABRAHAM
WELL NO ONE KNOWS MUCH ABOUT THE LINCOLNS - EVEN HERNDON, MY LAW PARTNER, DOESN’T KNOW MUCH - EVEN WITH HIS RESEARCH ABOUT ME.
MARY
WELL FOLKS ARE COMING OUT OF THE WOODWORK ABOUT YOUR HEIRS ABRAHAM - MANY THINGS YOU PROBABLY DON’T EVEN REALIZE. SUCH AS....
ABRAHAM MARY
WELL THE STORY ABOUT YOUR UNCLE MORDECAI SAVING YOUR FATHER AS AN INDIAN WAS ABOUT TO SCALP HIM WHEN HE WAS EIGHT YEARS OLD.
ABRAHAM
I KNOW THAT STORY WELL.
MARY
I JUST DIDN’T REALIZE THAT YOUR GRAND FATHER WAS BRUTALLY MURDERED IN FRONT OF YOUR FATHER AS JACOB SPRINTED TO THE TOWN FOR HELP AS MORDECAI KILLED THE INDIAN JUST PRIOR TO YOUR GRAND DADDY’S DEATH. THAT IS THE STORY.
ABRAHAM MARY
AND MORDECAI RECEIVED BY KENTUCKY PATRIMONY LAND LAWS ALL THE FARM OF GRANDDADDY ABRAHAM. YOUR DAD REALLY STRUGGLED.
ABRAHAM
YES HE REALLY DID. BUT HE DID WHAT IT TOOK TO RAISE A FAMILY - AND MOVED TO LITTLE PIGEON CREEK, INDIANA; AND SUBSEQUENTLY COLE COUNTY ILLINOIS TO MAKE ENDS MEET.
MARY
WELL WE BOTH HAD ROOTS IN INDIANA ALSO. WE HAVE VERY SIMILAR BACKGROUNDS.
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ABRAHAM
NO MARY YOU ARE AN ARISTOCRATIC DAUGHTER AND I’M A STOVE PIPE HAT RAILSPLITTER THAT DIDN’T COME INTO OTTAWA WITH SIX WHITE HORSES AND AN ELOQUENT CARRIAGE LIKE THE JUDGE.
MARY
WELL AT LEAST WE SAW HOW REALLY BEAUTIFUL THE FOX AND ILLINOIS RIVERS ARE ON OUR TRAILRIDE. I BET THE LITTLE MIDGET HARDLY SAW THE COUNTRYSIDE IN THAT BIG CARRIAGE THAT WOULD PLEASE A EUROPEAN KING.
ABRAHAM
WELL WITH ALL THE SIGNS THE JUDGE HAD POSTED, HE CERTAINLY AROUSED THE 20,000 FOLKS AT OTTAWA. I DON’T KNOW HOW ANYONE HEARD US.
MARY
WELL WE NEED TO WORK ON YOUR PRESENTATION ON THE WAY TO FREEPORT.
ABRAHAM
THE NEWSPAPERS SAY I REPRESENT MODERN AMERICAN INSTITUTIONS WITH THE FACT THAT TEN YEARS EARLIER ILLINOIS VOTED TO BAR SLAVERY.
MARY
BUT EGYPT HAS COME OUT STRONGLY IN SUPPORT OF NEIGHBORING SLAVE STATES.
ABRAHAM
YES THE MIDDLE OF ILLINOIS WILL DECIDE THIS SENATORIAL ELECTION.
MARY
I GUESS WHAT REALLY BOTHERS ME ABOUT THE LITTLE MIDGET IS THE FACT THAT HE CONTENDS THAT THE FOUNDERS WOULD HAVE ADDRESSED SLAVERY IF THEY WANTED IT CHANGED OR OUTLAWED. HIS POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY DOCTRINE OF STATES AND TERRITORIAL RIGHTS DATING BACK TO THE U.S. CONSTITUTION OF 1787 REALLY PUTS THE ABOLITIONISTS IN A BIND - DESPITE THE NORTHWEST ORDINANCE OF 1787 DISALLOWING SLAVERY IN THE TERRITORIES. I’VE READ ARTICLE 10 OF THE U.S. CONSTITUTION RESERVES ANYTHING NOT WITHIN FEDERAL LAW TO THE STATES.
ABRAHAM
YOU ARE CORRECT. ON THIS ISSUE THE NEWSPAPERS SAY I’M EARNEST, TRUTHFUL, AND STRIKE SYMPATHETIC CHORDS - BUT MAYBE NOT ON GOOD LEGAL FOOTING 5
WITH KANSAS, NEBRASKA, DRED SCOTT, LECOMPTON, U.S. CONSTITUTION, AND THE PRESENT STRONG PUBLIC SENTIMENT REGARDING STATES’ RIGHTS.
MARY
AND THE PAPERS HAVE KILLED US ON YOUR HOUSE DIVIDED SPEECH IN JUNE OF THIS YEAR.
ABRAHAM
I HAVE CLARIFIED THAT SO MANY TIMES - IT IS SO VERY SIMPLE - THE UNITED STATES CANNOT EXIST DIVIDED WITH SO MANY STATE RULES AND INTERPRETATIONS REGARDING SLAVERY. WE WILL EITHER BECOME ALL SLAVE OR ALL FREE - ESPECIALLY AS OUR COUNTRY GROWS. IT IS NOT AN OPINIONATED STATEMENT AS I’M JUST STATING THAT THE COUNTRY WILL BECOME ALL ONE OR THE OTHER.
MARY
WELL THE INTERPRETATIONS I’VE HEARD IN SPRINGFIELD AND ELSEWHERE ARE THAT THE COUNTRY WILL FAIL IF IT CONTINUES TO BE DIVIDED.
ABRAHAM
YES I REALIZE THAT - AND THE FACT THAT DOUGLAS HAS POUNCED ON THIS SPEECH AS IMPLYING THAT I’M NOT A LOYAL AMERICAN IF SOME STATES CONTINUE TO HAVE BONDAGE.
MARY
WELL THAT IS WHY YOU ARE DEBATING. PEOPLE HAVE A CHOICE BETWEEN THE TWICE ELECTED SENATE DEMOCRAT DOUGLAS AND THE UPSTART REPUBLICAN AND FORMER WHIG LINCOLN. I FEEL CENTRAL ILLINOIS WILL DECIDE THE ELECTION - THAT IS CLEAR. ARE YOU SURE THERE IS NOT SOMETHING ELSE BOTHERING YOU ?
ABRAHAM
I’VE JUST BEEN THINKING ABOUT OUR DIFFERENCES MARY, YOU COME FROM SUCH LOFTY FAMILY HERITAGE IN KENTUCKY. THE TODDS WERE CONSIDERED ON EQUAL FOOTING WITH WEBSTERS AND CLAYS.
MARY
SO YOU ARE STILL HUNG UP ON YOUR MODEST ROOTS BEING BORN AROUND SINKING SPRING FARM, MIGRATING TO LITTLE PIGEON CREEK, INDIANA, AND THEN COMING TO COLE COUNTY ILLINOIS. YOU ARE NO DIFFERENT THAN MANY OTHER ILLINOIS FOLKS. WE’VE BEEN THROUGH THIS BEFORE - ARE YOU SURE IT’S NOT YOUR FATHER AND YOU NOT GETTING ALONG SINCE YOU 6
MOVED HERE ?
ABRAHAM
I DON’T REALLY KNOW. I JUST FEEL...
MARY
DEPRESSED. IT IS OBVIOUS. IN OTTAWA YOU SAT UP THERE WHEN THE LITTLE MIDGET TALKED AS IF YOU AGREED. WELL YOU HAD BETTER GET OVER SOME OF THIS MELANCHOLIA IN A HURRY. WE’VE GOT FREEPORT COMING UP. THERE WILL BE THOUSANDS THERE WAITING FOR YOUR RESPONSES TO THE JUDGE’S QUESTIONS FROM OTTAWA. IF YOU CANNOT DELIVER, IT MAKES NO SENSE TO CONTINUE - IT WILL BE OVER. DOUGLAS IS AS SMOOTH AS IT GETS. I KNOW PERSONALLY AS DOUGLAS DESPERATELY TRIED TO DATE ME MANY TIMES. SPRINGFIELD IS JUST NOT THAT BIG OF A PLACE. THE JUDGE IS CAREER DRIVEN BEYOND WORDS - AND HE WON’T STOP UNTIL HE IS THE PRESIDENT OF OUR COUNTRY.
ABRAHAM
YES I KNOW - I’LL JUST HAVE TO DEAL WITH MY HUMBLE UPBRINGINGS AND DIFFERENCES WITH MY NOW DECEASED FATHER. YOU KNOW I NEVER EVEN WENT TO HIS FUNERAL. HOW BAD A PERSON AM I ?
MARY
WELL YOUR FATHER THOMAS WAS JUST OLD SCHOOL, DIDN’T CARE FOR YOUR SELF TAUGHT SCHOOLING, LIVED A VERY ROUGH LIFE, HAD TO DEAL WITH HIS BROTHER MORDECAI GETTING ALL THAT BEAUTIFUL PRIME KENTUCKY LAND TO RAISE HORSES AND CROPS ON. THOMAS LINCOLN DEALT WITH MUCH. IT’S NOT UNCOMMON FOR SONS AND FATHERS TO NOT GET ALONG. WE NEED TO FOCUS ON DOUGLAS AND HIS ENTOURAGE. WE DON’T HAVE SIX WHITE HORSES, A KING’S CARRIAGE, AND THE HYPED SIGNS POSTED ALL OVER THESE TOWNS. DOUGLAS WILL STOP AT NOTHING TO TEAR YOU APART PIECE BY PIECE.
ABRAHAM
I GUESS BURYING RELATIVES BEFORE THE AGE OF TEN IN LITTLE PIGEON CREEK INDIANA, IS GETTING TO ME. MY MOM, NANCY, DYING OF THAT DREADED MILK SICKNESS BEFORE I WAS TEN IS ON MY MIND A BUNCH.
MARY
WELL WE DON’T HAVE TIME TO GET YOU TO A DOCTOR TO RESOLVE THESE INNER ISSUES. ABRAHAM YOU NEED TO FOCUS ON FREEPORT, DOUGLAS, AND THE ISSUES FACING ILLINOIS AND OUR COUNTRY. IT IS THAT SIMPLE. YOU’VE 7
COME SO FAR, AND YOU DON’T WANT TO BLOW IT NOW. MOST PEOPLE DESPISE THE JUDGE. THEY KNOW HE IS A SLIPPERY POLITICIAN; BUT YET THEY ARE AFRAID TO VOTE AGAINST HIM.
ABRAHAM
WELL THE COUNTRY IS CHANGING. AND I’VE HAD THE GREATEST STEPMOTHER THE WORLD HAS EVER KNOWN SARAH. SHE TAUGHT ME CONSIDERABLY MORE THAN MY COMBINED ONE YEAR OF FORMAL SCHOOLING.
MARY
FOR GOD’S SAKE ABRAHAM - YOU LEARNED HOW TO WRITE WITH A BUZZARD’S QUILL, BECAME SPRINGFIELD’S BEST ATTORNEY SELF TAUGHT, AND HELPED THOUSANDS OF FOLKS. YOUR REPUTATION AS A MAN OF THE PEOPLE IS IMMENSE. I HAVE LETTERS FROM MANY LEGAL CLIENTS MR. HERNDON AND YOU ASSISTED AND RESOLVED THEIR CLAIMS WITHOUT PAY.
ABRAHAM
YES WE DID A FEW GOOD THINGS FOR FOLKS AROUND SPRINGFIELD.
MARY
BUT GETTING BACK TO THE FREEPORT DEBATE….AGAIN THE JUDGE WILL POUNCE ON YOUR OLD WHIG TIES YOU NEED TO BE READY FOR THIS. THE THREE THINGS WHIGS AND HENRY CLAY WERE ARDENT ANTI JACKSON SUPPORTERS OF WERE A NATIONAL BANK, A PROTECTIVE TARIFF, AND SUBSTANTIAL INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS. WHAT WILL YOU SAY TO THE PEOPLE ?
ABRAHAM
WELL I’M NO LONGER A WHIG. AND THE REPUBLICANS DON’T HAVE A CLEAR NATIONAL PLATFORM ON ALL OF THESE ISSUES. INFRASTRUCTURE AND RAILROAD DEVELOPMENT IS ON HOLD THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY AFTER THE PANIC OF 1857.
MARY
SO THE REPUBLICANS HAVE JUST BEEN CONCENTRATING ON ABOLITION – THAT’S IT ?
ABRAHAM
BASICALLY YES. HECK I’M BEING EATEN ALIVE BY SOME OF MY OLD WHIG COLLEAGUES FOR ABANDONING THE PARTY. AS YOU KNOW MANY KENTUCKY WHIGS AND OTHERS HAVE PROSLAVERY TENDENCIES. AND ESSENTIALLY SINCE THE WHIGS ARE NOT ALL TOGETHER ON ALL THE ISSUES - ESPECIALLY BONDAGE, WELL SOME 8
SAY THE WHIG PARTY IN AMERICA IS REALLY DOOMED.
MARY
BUT YOU NEED WHIG SUPPORT TO WIN THIS ILLINOIS SENATORIAL ELECTION - RIGHT ?
ABSOLUTELY.
ABRAHAM MARY
AND SOME SAY YOU WERE LAZY BECAUSE YOU DIDN’T LIKE HARD WORK AND FAILED AS A CLERK IN A STORE, POSTMASTER, FARMER, RIVERBOAT MAN, CARPENTER, BLACKHAWK WAR SOLDIER, SURVEYOR, AND BLACKSMITH.
ABRAHAM
I DIDN’T REALLY FAIL. JUST DIDN’T LIVE UP TO MY DAD’S EXPECTATIONS AS BEING A FRONTIER FARMER WHO COULDN’T READ OR WRITE. I WANTED MORE AND DAD JUST FELT THAT HIS SONS NEEDED TO BE LIKE HIM. AS YOU SAID - THE WORLD HAS CHANGED. I’M NOT LAZY I’VE TRIED MORE CASES IN THE COURTS SURROUNDING SPRINGFIELD THAN ANYONE, AND HAVE BEEN TO THE ILLINOIS SUPREME COURT FOR NEARLY 300 CASES.
MARY
PEOPLE RESPECT THAT - NOT EVERYONE IS A PROFESSIONAL SOLDIER, COMES FROM A WEALTHY FAMILY, OR HAS AN UNBLEMISHED BACKGROUND. YOU SERVED YOUR TIME IN THE US INFANTRY - THAT IS MORE THAN MOST. AND YOU WERE HONORABLE TO YOUR FATHER - BECAUSE YOU WERE NOT OF AGE AND YOU DILIGENTLY GAVE HIM BACK ALL YOUR WAGES FOR THE RIVERBOAT TRIP TO NEW ORLEANS.
ABRAHAM
BACK TO FREEPORT AND THE ISSUES. EVEN WHEN I LOST IN THE 1832 STATE LEGISLATIVE CONTEST, I RECEIVED 277 OF 300 VOTES CAST IN THAT PRECINCT. PEOPLE GOT TO KNOW ME AND IT WORKED.
MARY
YOU BET - FOR SO MANY TIMES I’VE TOLD YOU THERE IS NOTHING BETTER THAN PERSONAL CONTACT WITH THE PEOPLE. THEY NEED TO TOUCH AND TALK TO YOU BEFORE THEY VOTE. THE JUDGE HAS A TON OF ENERGY AND IS ON THE STUMP CONTINUOUSLY. WE NEED TO BE TALKING TO PEOPLE ON THE WAY TO FREEPORT AND THEN ON THE WAY TO JONESBORO. THE PEOPLE AND THE NEWSPAPERS EXPECT ANSWERS FROM YOU THAT THE JUDGE IMPOSED UPON YOURSELF AT OTTAWA.
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ABRAHAM
WELL I HAVE THE ANSWERS FIRST I’M NOT FOR THE LECOMPTON KANSAS CONSTITUTION BECAUSE IT IS AGAINST FEDERAL LAW. 93,420 INHABITANTS OF A TERRITORY ARE REQUIRED FOR STATE ADMISSION. KANSAS HAD FAR LESS THAN THIS. IT WAS A PIERCE RUN DEMOCRATIC PLOT TO EXTEND SLAVERY INTO KANSAS BEFORE THE REQUIRED NUMBER OF PEOPLE REQUIRED FOR A STATE COULD DECIDE THE ISSUE. AND KANSAS VOTED THIS CONSTITUTION ANYWAY.
MARY
VERY GOOD - KEEP GOING.
ABRAHAM
YES, WE SHOULD EXCLUDE SLAVERY PRIOR TO A STATE’S ADMISSION BECAUSE ONCE ESTABLISHED IT CANNOT BE EXCLUDED BY CUSTOM, AND HISTORY HAS SUPPORTED POLITICAL AND SOCIAL CUSTOMS SUCH AS SLAVERY. ONCE ENTRENCHED IT CANNOT BE EASILY REMOVED DESPITE THE WILL OF THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE AND LOCAL LAWS.
MARY
WHAT ABOUT THE SUPREME COURT ALLOWING SLAVERY BY DRED SCOTT AND KANSAS NEBRASKA ACT DECISIONS AND ESSENTIALLY NULLIFYING THE 1820 MISSOURI COMPROMISE ?
ABRAHAM
WE ARE NOT OPPOSING FEDERAL LAW. THE LAW IS THE LAW; AND IT IS SUPREME COMING FROM THE US SUPREME COURT. CHIEF JUSTICE TANEY’S DECISION LAST YEAR WAS CLEARLY WRONG STATING THAT A SLAVE IS NOT A CITIZEN AND MERE PROPERTY. IT WILL NOT STICK AND EVENTUALLY WILL BE OVER RULED - EVEN THOUGH THE JUDGE STATED THAT DRED SCOTT CAN ONLY BE APPEALED IN HEAVEN.
MARY
YOU WILL NEED AN ANSWER FOR THESE NORTHERN ILLINOIS FOLKS.
ABRAHAM
I WILL SIDE WITH THE CHASE AMENDMENT FROM OHIO. I’M FOR TERRITORIAL RIGHTS PRIOR TO STATEHOOD TO EXCLUDE SLAVERY. THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH THE HOUSE DIVIDED SPEECH - WE CANNOT STAND DIVIDED - WE WILL ALL BECOME ONE OR THE OTHER - PROSLAVERY OR NON SLAVERY. IT IS THAT SIMPLE.
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MARY
NOW YOU ARE SOUNDING LIKE A SIX FOOT FOUR GENTLEMAN THAT STANDS FOR THE RIGHTS OF ALL PEOPLE. I’LL TAKE IT.
ABRAHAM
I WILL ALSO FREELY ADMIT I’M NOT IN SUPPORT OF THE JUDGE’S 1854 NEBRASKA ACT. I HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THOSE RESOLUTIONS AND I STATED IN PEORIA IN 1854 THAT I COULDN’T POSSIBLY KNOW HOW TO EXACTLY END SLAVERY.
MARY
ABRAHAM YOU NEED TO UTILIZE AS LITTLE LEGAL RHETORIC AS POSSIBLE. THE CROWD WILL BE TURNED OFF. SPEAK IN PLAIN WORDS WHAT YOU MEAN. THE COMMENTS FROM OTTAWA WERE THAT YOU WERE UNPREPARED FOR THE JUDGE, USED TOO MUCH LEGAL TALK, AND DIDN’T MOTION TO THE CROWD – YOU APPEARED UNCOMFORTABLE. GET ON THE OFFENSIVE EVEN IF YOU HAVE TO SAY DOUGLAS DRINKS TOO MUCH TO DESERVE THE HONOR OF BEING AN ILLINOIS SENATOR. THERE ARE MANY TEETOTALERS IN ILLINOIS.
ABRAHAM
THAT WOULD BE BEYOND MY MORALS TO INJECT PERSONAL ISSUES INTO THE DEBATES. THERE ARE SKELETONS IN EVERYONE’S CLOSET. I THINK WE’VE ARRIVED IN FREEPORT - LOOK AT THE CROWDS - I WOULD HAVE NEVER IMAGINED SUCH A GATHERING. MARY, THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HERE.
MARY
CONCENTRATE ON NOT AVOIDING THE QUESTIONS THE JUDGE HAS POSED TO YOU. REMEMBER YOU ARE NOT OPPOSED TO THE FUGITIVE SLAVE ACT OF THE 1850 COMPROMISE, YOU ARE NOT AGAINST THE ADDITION OF MORE SLAVE STATES, AND YOU ARE NOT PLEDGED BUT WANT SLAVERY ABOLISHED IN D.C.
ABRAHAM
AND I’M NOT AGAINST ADDING MORE TERRITORIES TO THE UNITED STATES UNLESS IT CAUSED MORE SLAVERY AGITATION. I WILL TAKE CHARGE AND POSE SOME QUESTIONS FOR THE JUDGE. SUCH AS ?
MARY ABRAHAM
WELL I WILL ASK THE LITTLE MIDGET (1)IF HE IS ACTUALLY 11
FOR ADMITTING KANSAS WITHOUT THE REQUISITE NUMBER OF REGISTERED INHABITANTS ? (2)DOES THE JUDGE FAVOR ALLOWING TERRITORIES TO EXCLUDE SLAVERY FROM ITS BORDERS PRIOR TO BECOMING A STATE ? (3)DOES DOUGLAS ACQUIESCE IN THE SUPREME COURT’S DECISION AND ALLOW STATES TO NOT EXCLUDE SLAVERY ? AND (4)DOES THE JUDGE FAVOR EXPANSION SO MUCH AS TO INCITE MORE SLAVERY AGITATION UPON THE COUNTRY ?
MARY
VERY GOOD - SHOULD WORK - LET’S GET SOMETHING TO EAT AT FREEPORT.
End - Chapter II, Prairie Fire
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