CHAPTER VII - HOME TO SPRINGFIELD: OCTOBER 16, 1858. MARY
WOW - I CANNOT BELIEVE THE EXCITEMENT IN ALTON. THEY ARE STILL AFFECTED BY LOVEJOY’S KILLING IN 1837.
ABRAHAM
YES - LOVEJOY WAS AMAZING. THEY DESTROYED HIS PRINTING PRESS BECAUSE HE USED IT TO PROMOTE ABOLITION. AND THEN THEY DESTROYED HIS NEWLY PURCHASED PRINTING PRESS, AND KILLED HIM THEREAFTER.
MARY
THIS WAS A GOOD TOWN IN WHICH TO DEBATE. ALL THE ISSUES SURROUNDING SLAVERY AND A FEW OTHERS CAME TO THE FORE.
ABRAHAM
I AGREE. 5000 PEOPLE GOT THEIR FILL OF ILLINOIS AND NATIONAL POLITICS. AND ROBERT WAS THERE TO WITNESS THE DEBATE TODAY.
MARY
YES THE JUDGE POUNDED HIS POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY DOCTRINE AGAIN. IN FACT A LADY NEXT TO ME ASKED IF THIS DOCTRINE FROM THE 1850 COMPROMISE WAS STILL LEGAL AFTER KANSAS AND DRED SCOTT.
ABRAHAM
TECHNICALLY WITHOUT FURTHER SUPREME COURT DECISIONS OR FEDERAL LEGISLATION, ¬POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY IS A DEAD DOCTRINE.
MARY
I DON’T KNOW IF THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS ALL THIS. MOST IN CONGRESS DON’T SEEM TO GET IT, AND IT IS VERY CONFUSING.
ABRAHAM
BUT SLAVE OWNERS SURELY KNOW THESE LAWS AND ARE DEPENDENT UPON THEM.
MARY
THE JUDGE THREW OUT SOME NEW PUNCHES AT ALTON. I COULDN’T BELIEVE THAT HE BROUGHT UP YOUR SUPPORT FOR TAYLOR IN 48 AS OPPOSED TO CLAY.
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ABRAHAM
LIKE I’VE SAID IN THE PAST. THE JUDGE HOLDS NOTHING BACK - IF THERE IS A SCANT OF TRUTH IN SOMETHING, HE BRINGS IT UP - EVEN THOUGH OUT OF CONTEXT.
MARY
WELL HE MADE A STRONG CLAIM FOR SLAVERY USING TERRITORIAL LEGISLATURES’ DECISIONS, DRED SCOTT, AND THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION NOT DISALLOWING IT.
ABRAHAM
YES, YES, YES - I COULDN’T BELIEVE HE AGAIN CONTRASTED THE GREEN MOUNTAINS OF VERMONT WITH THE COTTON FIELDS OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
MARY
WELL SLAVERY HAS BEEN ABOLISHED IN NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY, NEW HAMPSHIRE, CONNECTICUT, AND PENNSYLVANIA. AND ILLINOIS.
ABRAHAM MARY
AS I SEE IT THE CLAY COMPROMISE OF 1850 HOLDS NO WATER TODAY LEGALLY. THE LECOMPTON CONSTITUTION WAS ILLEGAL FROM THE START SINCE KANSAS NEVER HAD 93,420 PEOPLE TO BECOME A STATE, AND WHEN THE CONSTITUENTS FINALLY VOTED, THE VOTE WAS OVERWHELMINGLY AGAINST THE PRO-SLAVERY CONSTITUTION.
ABRAHAM
YES - BACK IN THE EARLY 50S KANSAS WAS OFFERED MILLIONS OF ACRES IN EXCHANGE FOR VOTING IN THE LECOMPTON CONSTITUTION. MANY CONSIDERED IT A BRIBE - BUT AGAIN BY A 10 TO 1 MAJORITY THE DEMOCRATIC ENGLISH BILL AS THEY CALLED IT - WAS DEFEATED.
MARY
I FELT YOUR REBUTTAL TO DOUGLAS WAS THE BEST AND VERY TIMELY. YOU TOED THE LINE BY STATING THAT ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL BY THE US CONSTITUTION - BUT NOT IN ALL RESPECTS.
ABRAHAM
WHAT WITH THE INTERNATIONAL SLAVE TRADE ENDING IN 1808, IT WAS A CLEAR SIGNAL TO THE SOUTH THAT THE INSTITUTION WAS BECOMING EXTINCT. 3
MARY
CLAY SAID IT BEST AS AN ANTI SLAVERY CONGRESSMAN. WE DERIVED THIS EVIL FROM ENGLISH LAW, AND HAVE TO LIVE WITH ITS UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES.
ABRAHAM
WHICH LED TO MY MISUNDERSTOOD HOUSE DIVIDED SPEECH. THE NATION WILL NOT END BUT WE WILL BECOME AS A COUNTRY FREE OR SLAVE HOLDING.
MARY
YOUR POINTS WERE IMMENSELY APPRECIATED - EVEN IN SOUTHERN ILLINOIS - THE FACT THAT WHEN THE SLAVE TRADE ENDED IN 1808, A TEN DOLLAR TAX WAS ADDED FOR EACH SLAVE A MASTER HELD.
ABRAHAM
WELL IMPLICITLY BY THE SLAVE TRADE ENDING IN 1808, THE TEN DOLLAR TAX SURCHARGE PER SLAVE, THE 3/5 APPORTIONMENT IN CONGRESS - WITHIN THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION - AND PASSING FUGITIVE SLAVE LAWS - WE AS A NATION ARE TRYING TO HOLD ONTO THE PAST WHEN THE FOUNDERS MEANT THIS INSTITUTION FOR EXTINCTION. IT DOESN’T MATTER WHETHER ONE HAS AN OYSTER CROP IN VIRGINIA OR A CRANBERRY CROP IN INDIANA - SLAVERY AFFECTS ALL OF US.
MARY
YOUR COMPLIMENTS OF FRANK BLAIR AND DATZ BROWN IN MISSOURI TRYING TO EMANCIPATE AFRICANS WAS VERY EFFECTIVE - EVEN IN A LOSING CAUSE IN THOSE STATES.
ABRAHAM
THIS LEGISLATION AND DRED SCOTT ULTIMATELY PLACE THE TERRITORIAL RIGHTS OF NON SLAVE HOLDERS AND ABOLITIONISTS IN JEOPARDY.
MARY
THE COTTON GIN SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN INVENTED THIS WILL KEEP THE INSTITUTION ALIVE FOR THE NEXT 100 YEARS OR SO I RECKON.
ABRAHAM
THE LITTLE MIDGET’S REJOINDER WAS AGAIN VERY STRONG BUT DECEIVING I BELIEVE.
MARY
WELL LISTENING AND WATCHING FOLKS FACES AROUND ALTON SAID IT ALL - THEY HAD ALL HEARD THESE WORDS BEFORE. THE JUDGE WAS TELLING THEM NOT SO MUCH TO 4
VOTE FOR HIM, BUT TO VOTE AWAY FROM LINCOLN.
ABRAHAM
WELL I HONESTLY BELIEVED WITH MY ASHMAN HOUSE VOTE INTENDING UPON TAKING A FIRM STAND AGAINST THE MEXICAN WAR. WE RUSHED INTO WAR WITHOUT GOOD CAUSE. WE WERE NOT PROVOKED.
MARY
BUT AGAIN IN THE REJOINDER DOUGLAS HARPED ON THE FACT THAT YOU SUPPORTED TAYLOR AND NOT CLAY - THUS SIGNALING THE ENDING OF THE WHIG PARTY IN THE UNITED STATES.
ABRAHAM
AND I REELED BACK WHEN HE MENTIONED THE WILMOT PROVISO AGAIN - IMPLYING A CONSPIRACY BETWEEN ABOLITIONISTS SEWELL, CHASE FROM OHIO, AND GIDDINGS.
MARY
WELL AS YOU SAID OUR FRAMERS DIDN’T HAVE THE TELEGRAPH OR RAILROADS EIGHTY YEARS AGO. THINGS HAVE CHANGED IMMENSELY SINCE THE CONSTITUTION WAS BORN.
ABRAHAM
WELL I FEEL THAT THE JUDGE’S DIVINE RIGHT THEORY OF INFERIORITY OF THE NEGRO RACE IS FLAWED, AND IT IS NO DIFFERENT THAN THE TORIES WHO ACCUSED COLONISTS AS BEING INFERIOR AT THE TIME.
MARY
I STRONGLY FEEL YOU WILL WIN THE DISTRICTS YOU DEBATED IN, BUT THE REST OF ILLINOIS MAY NOT BE QUITE READY FOR YOU. ILLINOIS VOTERS SEE THE JUDGE AS POTENTIALLY THE FIRST ILLINOIS PRESIDENT IN 1860 AND DON’T WANT THE RAIL SPLITTER TO DEFEAT HIM IN A SENATE RACE. IN FACT MANY OF THE NEWSPAPERS HAVE LINCOLN WINNING THE POPULAR VOTE BUT THE DEMOCRATIC LEGISLATORS IN SPRINGFIELD WILL VOTE IN DOUGLAS - EVEN THOUGH MANY OF THE DISTRICTS THEY REPRESENT WILL VOTE IN YOUR FAVOR.
ABRAHAM
DOESN’T SEEM QUITE RIGHT. I HAVE TO GIVE THE JUDGE A COUPLE THINGS. GETTING ELECTED TO THE STATE LEGISLATURE AT AGE 27 WAS IMPRESSIVE. I UNDERSTAND HOW HE IS TOSSED MARRYING SOUTHERN WOMEN BOTH TIMES. IT WAS SO TRAGIC HOW HIS FIRST WIFE MARTHA DIED - AND THEN TO INHERIT THE LARGE MISSISSIPPI PLANTATION WITH OVER A HUNDRED SLAVES. 5
MARY
BUT THE JUDGE RECOVERED FROM HER DEATH AND ADELE, HIS NEW WIFE, HAS RAISED TWO FINE YOUNG SONS. THEY SEEM HAPPY AT TREMONT IN CHICAGO.
ABRAHAM
WELL WITH THE JUDGE’S CONNECTIONS AROUND ILLINOIS, IT IS HARD TO BEAT HIM NO MATTER WHAT HE SAYS. MY VOICE AND THE REPUBLICANS ARE JUST ABOUT PRINCIPLES. WE DON’T HAVE THE POLITICAL BACKING AND MONEY OF THE DEMOCRATS IN ILLINOIS OR NATIONALLY YET.
MARY
WELL THE DOUGLAS’S IN D.C. HAVE ALWAYS HAD THE MOST LAVISH PARTIES AND SWAY MANY IN CONGRESS.
ABRAHAM
I AGREE....BUT HIS DYNASTY IN THE SENATE COULD EASILY FALL APART DUE TO THIS GROWING SECTIONALISM AND SCHISMS THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES.
MARY
I CANNOT WAIT UNTIL WE GET TO SPRINGFIELD. THIS IS A LONG ROAD FROM ALTON. BUT HAPPILY WE HAVE SEEN MANY CHEERING SUPPORTERS ALONG THE WAY. IN A COUPLE WEEKS THESE DEBATES WILL NOT ONLY DECIDE ILLINOIS, BUT THE FUTURE OF OUR COUNTRY.
ABRAHAM
I WONDER IF THE KIDS WILL BE EXCITED TO HAVE THEIR DAD HOME FOR A BIT.
MARY
WELL MUCH OF THE HOUSE WILL HAVE BEEN REDECORATED.
ABRAHAM
WELL WE CAN SIT BACK AND THEN GO OUT AND CAMPAIGN SOME MORE UNTIL THE POLLING BOOTHS OPEN. MUCH HAS BEEN MADE LATELY IN THE NEWSPAPERS REGARDING THE DRED SCOTT DECISION - ESPECIALLY JUSTICE CURTIS’S STRONG DISSENT - DISALLOWING FREE BLACKS ANY RIGHTS UNDER OUR CONSTITUTION.
MARY
SO THESE THOUSANDS OF FREED AFRICANS OR SLAVES ARE NOW BACK TO PROPERTY STATUS ?
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ABRAHAM
IT APPEARS SO. I FEAR THAT THE ONLY RESOLUTION WILL BE A CIVIL WAR OVER THIS ISSUE. DIPLOMACY WILL NOT RESOLVE THIS....AND I FEEL THE JUDGE DEEP DOWN AGREES.
MARY
YOUR BOTTOM LINE IS WHAT THESE DEBATES HAVE BEEN ALL ABOUT. ALL OF US IN THE UNITED STATES HAVE INALIENABLE RIGHTS INCLUDING LIFE, LIBERTY, AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS.
ABRAHAM
BUT I DIDN’T MEAN THAT WHITES AND AFRICANS WERE EQUAL IN EVERY DIMENSION INCLUDING COLOR, SIZE, INTELLECT, MORALS OR SOCIAL CAPACITY. BUT I DO STRONGLY DISAGREE WITH THE JUDGE STATING THAT WHITES HAVE A DIVINE RIGHT TO A SUPERIOR POSITION.
MARY
YOU HAVE WON OVER THE CHICAGO PRESS AND TRIBUNE THROUGH THESE SEVEN DEBATES.
ABRAHAM
WELL AS REPUBLICANS WE HAVE A WAY TO GO TO CONVINCE THE PUBLIC THAT WE REALLY ARE DIFFERENT. I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT A HOUSE DIVIDED CANNOT STAND. THOUGH CLAY’S SUCCESSOR CRITTENDON FROM KENTUCKY, SUPPORTED THE JUDGE, WE CANNOT WALLOW IN DEFEAT IF THAT IS WHAT LOOMS FOR OUR CAUSE IN THIS SENATE ELECTION. WE WILL CONTINUE ON WITH OUR PASSIONATE VIEWS.
MARY
AND I WILL CONTINUE TO STRONGLY SUPPORT MY HUSBAND, THE REPUBLICANS, AND REALLY CHANGE ILLINOIS FOR THE BETTER. OH WE’VE BEEN TALKING SO MUCH.....EIGHTH AND JACKSON IS UPON US.
THE END.
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