six　slaves；　and　he　is　an　excellent　neighbor；　or　your　son　has
  married　his　daughter；　and　they　beg　you　to　help　save　their
  property；　and　you　vote　against　your　interests　and　principle　to
  accommodate　a　neighbor；　hoping　that　your　vote　will　be　on　the
  losing　side。　　And　others　do　the　same；　and　in　those　ways　slavery
  gets　a　sure　foothold。　　And　when　that　is　done　the　whole　mighty
  Unionthe　force　of　the　nationis　committed　to　its　support。　　And
  that　very　process　is　working　in　Kansas　to…day。　　And　you　must
  recollect　that　the　slave　property　is　worth　a　billion　of　dollars；
  while　free…State　men　must　work　for　sentiment　alone。　　Then　there
  are　〃blue　lodges〃as　they　call　themeverywhere　doing　their
  secret　and　deadly　work。
  It　is　a　very　strange　thing；　and　not　solvable　by　any　moral　law
  that　I　know　of；　that　if　a　man　loses　his　horse；　the　whole　country
  will　turn　out　to　help　hang　the　thief；　but　if　a　man　but　a　shade　or
  two　darker　than　I　am　is　himself　stolen；　the　same　crowd　will　hang
  one　who　aids　in　restoring　him　to　liberty。　　Such　are　the
  inconsistencies　of　slavery；　where　a　horse　is　more　sacred　than　a
  man；　and　the　essence　of　squatter　or　popular　sovereigntyI　don't
  care　how　you　call　itis　that　if　one　man　chooses　to　make　a　slave
  of　another；　no　third　man　shall　be　allowed　to　object。　　And　if　you
  can　do　this　in　free　Kansas；　and　it　is　allowed　to　stand；　the　next
  thing　you　will　see　is　shiploads　of　negroes　from　Africa　at　the
  wharf　at　Charleston；　for　one　thing　is　as　truly　lawful　as　the
  other；　and　these　are　the　bastard　notions　we　have　got　to　stamp
  out；　else　they　will　stamp　us　out。　　＇Sensation　and　applause。＇
  Two　years　ago；　at　Springfield；　Judge　Douglas　avowed　that　Illinois
  came　into　the　Union　as　a　slave　State；　and　that　slavery　was　weeded
  out　by　the　operation　of　his　great；　patent；　everlasting　principle
  of　〃popular　sovereignty。〃　＇Laughter。＇　Well；　now；　that　argument
  must　be　answered；　for　it　has　a　little　grain　of　truth　at　the
  bottom。　　I　do　not　mean　that　it　is　true　in　essence；　as　he　would
  have　us　believe。　　It　could　not　be　essentially　true　if　the
  Ordinance　of　'87　was　valid。　　But；　in　point　of　fact；　there　were
  some　degraded　beings　called　slaves　in　Kaskaskia　and　the　other
  French　settlements　when　our　first　State　constitution　was　adopted；
  that　is　a　fact；　and　I　don't　deny　it。　　Slaves　were　brought　here　as
  early　as　1720；　and　were　kept　here　in　spite　of　the　Ordinance　of
  1787　against　it。　　But　slavery　did　not　thrive　here。　　On　the
  contrary；　under　the　influence　of　the　ordinance　the　number
  decreased　fifty…one　from　1810　to　1820；　while　under　the　influence
  of　squatter　sovereignty；　right　across　the　river　in　Missouri；　they
  increased　seven　thousand　two　hundred　and　eleven　in　the　same　time；
  and　slavery　finally　faded　out　in　Illinois；　under　the　influence　of
  the　law　of　freedom；　while　it　grew　stronger　and　stronger　in
  Missouri；　under　the　law　or　practice　of　〃popular　sovereignty。〃　In
  point　of　fact　there　were　but　one　hundred　and　seventeen　slaves　in
  Illinois　one　year　after　its　admission；　or　one　to　every　four
  hundred　and　seventy　of　its　population；　or；　to　state　it　in　another
  way；　if　Illinois　was　a　slave　State　in　1820；　so　were　New　York　and
  New　Jersey　much　greater　slave　States　from　having　had　greater
  numbers；　slavery　having　been　established　there　in　very　early
  times。　　But　there　is　this　vital　difference　between　all　these
  States　and　the　Judge's　Kansas　experiment：　that　they　sought　to
  disestablish　slavery　which　had　been　already　established；　while
  the　Judge　seeks；　so　far　as　he　can；　to　disestablish　freedom；　which
  had　been　established　there　by　the　Missouri　Compromise。　　＇Voices：
  〃Good！〃＇
  The　Union　is　under…going　a　fearful　strain；　but　it　is　a　stout　old
  ship；　and　has　weathered　many　a　hard　blow；　and　〃the　stars　in　their
  courses；〃　aye；　an　invisible　Power；　greater　than　the　puny　efforts
  of　men；　will　fight　for　us。　　But　we　ourselves　must　not　decline　the
  burden　of　responsibility；　nor　take　counsel　of　unworthy　passions。
  Whatever　duty　urges　us　to　do　or　to　omit　must　be　done　or　omitted；
  and　the　recklessness　with　which　our　adversaries　break　the　laws；
  or　counsel　their　violation；　should　afford　no　example　for　us。
  Therefore；　let　us　revere　the　Declaration　of　Independence；　let　us
  continue　to　obey　the　Constitution　and　the　laws；　let　us　keep　step
  to　the　music　of　the　Union。　　Let　us　draw　a　cordon；　so　to　speak；
  around　the　slave　States；　and　the　hateful　institution；　like　a
  reptile　poisoning　itself；　will　perish　by　its　own　infamy。
  ＇Applause。＇
  But　we　cannot　be　free　men　if　this　is；　by　our　national　choice；　to
  be　a　land　of　slavery。　　Those　who　deny　freedom　to　others　deserve
  it　not　for　themselves；　and；　under　the　rule　of　a　just　God；　cannot
  long　retain
  it。＇Loud　applause。＇
  Did　you　ever；　my　friends；　seriously　reflect　upon　the　speed　with
  which　we　are　tending　downwards？　　Within　the　memory　of　men　now
  present　the　leading　statesman　of　Virginia　could　make　genuine；
  red…hot　abolitionist　speeches　in　old　Virginia！　and；　as　I　have
  said；　now　even　in　〃free　Kansas〃　it　is　a　crime　to　declare　that　it
  is　〃free　Kansas。〃　The　very　sentiments　that　I　and　others　have　just
  uttered　would　entitle　us；　and　each　of　us；　to　the　ignominy　and
  seclusion　of　a　dungeon；　and　yet　I　suppose　that；　like　Paul；　we
  were　〃free　born。〃　But　if　this　thing　is　allowed　to　continue；　it
  will　be　but　one　step　further　to　impress　the　same　rule　in
  Illinois。　　＇Sensation。＇
  The　conclusion　of　all　is；　that　we　must　restore　the　Missouri
  Compromise。　　We　must　highly　resolve　that　Kansas　must　be　free！
  ＇Great　applause。＇　We　must　reinstate　the　birthday　promise　of　the
  Republic；　we　must　reaffirm　the　Declaration　of　Independence；　we
  must　make　good　in　essence　as　well　as　in　form　Madison's　avowal
  that　〃the　word　slave　ought　not　to　appear　in　the　Constitution〃；
  and　we　must　even　go　further；　and　decree　that　only　local　law；　and
  not　that　time…honored　instrument；　shall　shelter　a　slaveholder。
  We　must　make　this　a　land　of　liberty　in　fact；　as　it　is　in　name。
  But　in　seeking　to　attain　these　resultsso　indispensable　if　the
  liberty　which　is　our　pride　and　boast　shall　endurewe　will　be
  loyal　to　the　Constitution　and　to　the　〃flag　of　our　Union；〃　and　no
  matter　what　our　grievanceeven　though　Kansas　shall　come　in　as　a
  slave　State；　and　no　matter　what　theirseven　if　we　shall　restore
  the　compromiseWE　WILL　SAY　TO　THE　SOUTHERN　DISUNIONISTS；　WE
  WON'T　GO　OUT　OF　THE　UNION；　AND　YOU　SHAN'T！
  ＇This　was　the　climax；　the　audience　rose　to　its　feet　en　masse；
  applauded；　stamped；　waved　handkerchiefs；　threw　hats　in　the　air；
  and　ran　riot　for　several　minutes。　　The　arch…enchanter　who　wrought
  this　transformation　looked；　meanwhile；　like　the　personification
  of　political　justice。＇
  But　let　us；　meanwhile；　appeal　to　the　sense　and　patriotism　of　the
  people；　and　not　to　their　prejudices；　let　us　spread　the　floods　of
  enthusiasm　here　aroused　all　over　these　vast　prairies；　so
  suggestive　of　freedom。　　Let　us　commence　by　electing　the　gallant
  soldier　Governor　（Colonel）　Bissell　who　stood　for　the　honor　of　our
  State　alike　on　the　plains　and　amidst　the　chaparral　of　Mexico　and
  on　the　floor　of　Congress；　while　he　defied　the　Southern　Hotspur；
  and　that　will　have　a　greater　moral　effect　than　all　the　border
  ruffians　can　accomplish　in　all　their　raids　on　Kansas。　　There　is
  both　a　power　and　a　magic　in　popular　opinion。　　To　that　let　us　now
  appeal；　and　while；　in　all　probability；　no　resort　to　force　will　be
  needed；　our　moderation　and　forbearance　will　stand　US　in　good
  stead　when；　if　ever；　WE　MUST　MAKE　AN　APPEAL　TO　BATTLE　AND　TO　THE
  GOD　OF　HOSTS！　＇Immense　applause　and　a　rush　for　the　orator。＇
  One　can　realize　with　this　ability　to　move　people's　minds　that　the
  Southern　Conspiracy　were　right　to　hate　this　man。　　He；　better　than
  any　at　the　time　was　able　to　uncover　their　stratagems　and　tear
  down　their　sophisms　and　contradictions。
  POLITICAL　CORRESPONDENCE
  TO　W。　C。　WHITNEY。
  SPRINGFIELD；　July　9；　1856。
  DEAR　WHITNEY：I　now　expect　to　go　to　Chicago　on　the　15th；　and　I
  probably　shall　remain　there　or　thereabouts　for　about　two　weeks。
  It　turned　me　blind　when　I　first　heard　Swett　was　beaten　and
  Lovejoy　nominated；　but；　after　much　reflection；　I　really　believe
  it　is　best　to　let　it　stand。　　This；　of　course；　I　wish　to　be
  confidential。
  Lamon　did　get　your　deeds。　　I　went　with　him　to　the　office；　got
  them；　and　put　them　in　his　hands　myself。
  Yours　very　truly；
  A。　LINCOLN。
  ON　OUT…OF…STATE　CAMPAIGNERS
  TO　WILLIAM　GRIMES。
  SPRINGFIELD；　ILLINOIS；　July　12；　1856
  Your's　of　the　29th　of　June　was　duly　received。　　I　did　not　answer
  it　because　it　plagued　me。　　This　morning　I　received　another　from
  Judd　and　Peck；　written　by　consultation　with　you。　　Now　let　me　tell
  you　why　I　am　plagued：
  1。　　I　can　hardly　spare　the　time。
  2。　　I　am　superstitious。　　I　have　scarcely　known　a　party　preceding
  an　election　to　call　in　help　from　the　neighboring　States　but　they
  lost　the　State。　　Last　fall；　our　friends　had　Wade；　of　Ohio；　and
  others；　in　Maine；　and　they　lost　the　State。　　Las