Stephen A. Douglas: His Life, Public Services, Speeches and Patriotism |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
Abolition Abolitionism Abraham Lincoln act and deed admit adopted amendment American annexation authority boundary carry Central America citizens clause Clayton-Bulwer Treaty commerce committee compact compromise measures compromise of 1850 Congress convention court debate declared deny doctrine duty election exist fact faith favor Federal Government Freeport friends gentlemen honor Illinois Jackson Kansas Lecompton Constitution legislation Legislature Lincoln martial law measures of 1850 ment Mexican Mexico Missouri Compromise navigation Nebraska bill necessary necessity never North Northern object opinion Oregon Oregon question Pacific Pacific Ocean passed patriotic peace pledge political popular sovereignty possession President principle prohibit slavery proposition provision railroad repeal republic republic of Texas Republican party repudiated resolutions Rio del Norte river Senator Douglas senator from Ohio session slave slaveholding slavery agitation slavery question South South Carolina Southern sovereignty speech stitution Territories Texas tion treaty ultimate extinction Union United violation vote
Popular passages
Page 217 - All power is inherent in the people, and all free governments are founded on their authority and instituted for their peace, safety, and happiness.
Page 121 - If it were admitted that you who are dissatisfied hold the right side in the dispute, there still is no single good reason for precipitate action. Intelligence, patriotism, Christianity and a firm reliance on Him who has never yet forsaken this favored land, are still competent to adjust, in the best way, all our present difficulties. In your hands, my dissatisfied fellow-countrymen, and not in mine, is the momentous issue of civil war.
Page 76 - To believe your own thought, to believe that what is true for you in your private heart is true for all men, — that is genius.
Page 120 - The power confided to me will be used to hold, occupy, and possess the property and places belonging to the Government, and to collect the duties and imposts; but beyond what may be necessary for these objects there will be no invasion, no using of force against or among the people anywhere.
Page 186 - an act to authorize the people of the Missouri Territory to form a constitution and State government, and for the admission of such State into the Union on an equal footing with the original States, and to prohibit slavery in certain territories...
Page 249 - We arraign this bill as a gross violation of a sacred pledge; as a criminal betrayal of precious rights; as part and parcel of an atrocious plot to exclude from a vast unoccupied region immigrants from the Old World and free laborers from our own States, and convert it into a dreary region of despotism, inhabited by masters and slaves.
Page 270 - Can the people of a United States Territory, in any lawful way, against the wish of any citizen of the United States, exclude slavery from its limits prior to the formation of a State constitution?
Page 121 - ... beyond what may be necessary for these objects, there will be no invasion, no using of force against or among the people anywhere. Where hostility to the United States in any interior locality, shall be so great and so universal as to prevent competent resident citizens from holding the federal offices, there will be no attempt to force obnoxious strangers among the people for that object.
Page 134 - But this is no time for a detail of causes. The conspiracy is now known. Armies have been raised, war is levied to accomplish it. There are only two sides to the question. Every man must be for the United States or against it. There can be no neutrals in this war; only patriots — or traitors.
Page 188 - That in all that territory ceded by France to the United States under the name of Louisiana which lies north of 36° 30' north latitude, not included within the limits of the State contemplated by this act, slavery and involuntary servitude, otherwise than in the punishment of crimes, whereof the parties shall have been duly convicted, shall be, and is hereby, forever prohibited...