Then I say, if this principle is established, that there is no wrong in slavery, and whoever wants it has a right to have it, is a matter of dollars and cents, a sort of question as to how they shall deal with brutes, that between us and the negro here there is no sort of question, but that at the South the question is between the negro and the crocodile, that is all, it is a mere matter of policy, there is a perfect right, according to interest, to do just as you please,—­when this is done, where this doctrine prevails, the miners and sappers will have formed public opinion for the slave trade.  They will be ready for Jeff.  Davis and Stephens and other leaders of that company to sound the bugle for the revival of the slave trade, for the second Dred Scott decision, for the flood of slavery to be poured over the free States, while we shall be here tied down and helpless and run over like sheep.

It is to be a part and parcel of this same idea to say to men who want to adhere to the Democratic party, who have always belonged to that party, and are only looking about for some excuse to stick to it, but nevertheless hate slavery, that Douglas’s popular sovereignty is as good a way as any to oppose slavery.  They allow themselves to be persuaded easily, in accordance with their previous dispositions, into this belief, that it is about as good a way of opposing slavery as any, and we can do that without straining our old party ties or breaking up old political associations.  We can do so without being called negro-worshipers.  We can do that without being subjected to the jibes and sneers that are so readily thrown out in place of argument where no argument can be found.  So let us stick to this popular sovereignty,—­this insidious popular sovereignty.

Now let me call your attention to one thing that has really happened, which shows this gradual and steady debauching of public opinion, this course of preparation for the revival of the slave trade, for the Territorial slave code, and the new Dred Scott decision that is to carry slavery into the Free States.  Did you ever, five years ago, hear of anybody in the world saying that the negro had no share in the Declaration of National Independence; that it does not mean negroes at all; and when “all men” were spoken of, negroes were not included?

I am satisfied that five years ago that proposition was not put upon paper by any living being anywhere.  I have been unable at any time to find a man in an audience who would declare that he had ever known of anybody saying so five years ago.  But last year there was not a Douglas popular sovereign in Illinois who did not say it.  Is there one in Ohio but declares his firm belief that the Declaration of Independence did not mean negroes at all?  I do not know how this is; I have not been here much; but I presume you are very much alike everywhere.  Then I suppose that all now express the belief that the Declaration of Independence never did mean negroes.  I call upon one of them to say that he said it five years ago.