Speaking of slavery to a fellow lawyer,he said:"It is the most glittering,ostentatious,and displaying property in the world;and now,if a young man goes courting,the only inquiry is how many negroes he or his lady love owns.The love of slave property is swallowing up every other mercenary possession.Its ownership betokened not only the possession of wealth,but indicated the gentleman of leisure who was above and scorned labor."[5]
It was because of these views,because he saw slavery allying itself with the spread of plutocratic ideals,that Lincoln entered the battle to prevent its extension.He did so in his usual cool,determined way.
Though his first reply to Douglas was not recorded,his second,made at Peoria twelve days later,still exists.[6]It is a landmark in his career.It sums up all his long,slow development in political science,lays the abiding foundation of everything he thought thereafter.In this great speech,the end of his novitiate,he rings the changes on the white man's charter of freedom.He argues that the extension of slavery tends to discredit republican institutions,and to disappoint "the Liberal party throughout the world."The heart of his argument is:
"Whether slavery shall go into Nebraska or other new Territories is not a matter of exclusive concern to the people who may go there.The whole nation is interested that the best use shall be made of these Territories.We want them for homes for free white people.This they can not be to any considerable extent,if slavery shall be planted within them.
Slave States are places for poor white people to remove from,not remove to.New Free States are the places for poor people to go to and better their condition.For this use the nation needs these Territories."The speech was a masterpiece of simplicity,of lucidity.It showed the great jury;lawyer at his best.Its temper was as admirable as its logic;not a touch of anger nor of vituperation.
"I have no prejudice against the Southern people,"said he.
"They are just what we would be in their situation.If slavery did not exist among them,they would not introduce it.If it did now exist among us,we should not instantly give it up.
This I believe of the masses North and South.
"When Southern people tell us that they are no more responsible for the origin of slavery than we are,I acknowledge the fact.
When it is said that the institution exists and that it is very difficult to get rid of in any satisfactory way,I can understand and appreciate the saying.I surely will not blame them for not doing what I should not know how to do myself.If all earthly power were given me,I should not know what to do as to the existing institution."His instinctive aversion to fanaticism found expression in a plea for the golden mean in politics.
"Some men,mostly Whigs,who condemn the repeal of the Missouri Compromise,nevertheless hesitate to go for its restoration lest they be thrown in company with the Abolitionists.Will they allow me as an old Whig,to tell them good-humoredly that I think this is very silly.Stand with anybody that stands right.
Stand with him while he is right and part with him when he goes wrong.Stand with the Abolitionist in restoring the Missouri Compromise,and stand against him when he attempts to repeal the Fugitive Slave Law.In the latter case you stand with the Southern dis-unionist.What of that?You are still right.In both cases you are right.In both cases you expose the dangerous extremes.In both you stand on middle ground and hold the ship level and steady.In both you are national,and nothing less than national.This is the good old Whig ground.To desert such ground because of any company is to be less than a Whig-less than a man-less than an American."These two speeches against Douglas made an immense impression Byron-like,Lincoln waked up and found himself famous.
Thereupon,his ambition revived.A Senator was to be chosen that autumn.Why might not this be the opportunity to retrieve his failure in Congress?Shortly after the Peoria speech,he was sending out notes like this to prominent politicians:
"Dear Sir:You used to express a good deal of partiality for me,and if you are still so,now is the time.Some friends here are really for me for the United States Senate,and Ishould be very grateful if you could make a mark for me among your members [of the Legislature]."[7]
When the Legislature assembled,it was found to comprise four groups:the out-and-out Democrats who would stand by Douglas through thick and thin,and vote only for his nominee;the bolting Democrats who would not vote for a Douglas man,but whose party rancor was so great that they would throw their votes away rather than give them to a Whig;such enemies of Douglas as were willing to vote for a Whig;the remainder.
The Democrats supported Governor Matteson;the candidate of the second group was Lyman Trumbull;the Whigs supported Lincoln.
After nine exciting ballots,Matteson had forty-seven votes,Trumbull thirty-five,Lincoln fifteen.As the bolting Democrats were beyond compromise,Lincoln determined to sacrifice himself in order to defeat Matteson.Though the fifteen protested against deserting him,he required them to do so.On the tenth ballot,they transferred their votes to Trumbull and he was elected.[8]
Douglas had met his first important defeat.His policy had been repudiated in his own State.And it was Lincoln who had formulated the argument against him,who had held the balance of power,and had turned the scale.
