framed the Government under which we live" used and applied principles,
in other cases, which ought to have led them to understand that a
proper division of local from Federal authority, or some part of the
Constitution, forbids the Federal Government to control as to slavery
in the Federal Territories, he is right to say so. But he should, at
the same time, brave the responsibility of declaring that, in his
opinion, he understands their principles better than they did
themselves; and especially should he not shirk that responsibility by
asserting that they "understood the question just as well, and even
better, than we do now."

But enough. Let all who believe that "our fathers who framed the
government under which we live understood this question just as well,
and even better, than we do now," speak as they spoke, and act as they
acted upon it. This is all Republicans ask--all Republicans desire--in
relation to slavery. As those fathers marked it, so let it be again
marked, as an evil not to be extended, but to be tolerated and
protected only because of and so far as its actual presence among us
makes that toleration and protection a necessity. Let all the
guaranties those fathers gave it be not grudgingly, but fully and
fairly, maintained. For this Republicans contend, and with this, so
far as I know or believe, they will be content.

And now, if they would listen--as I suppose they will not--I would
address a few words to the Southern people.

I would say to them: You consider yourselves a reasonable and a just
people; and I consider that in the general qualities of reason and
justice you are not inferior to any other people. Still, when you
speak of us Republicans, you do so only to denounce us as reptiles, or,
at the best, as no better than outlaws. You will grant a hearing to
pirates or murderers, but nothing like it to "Black Republicans." In
all your contentions with one another, each of you deems an
unconditional condemnation of "Black Republicanism" as the first thing
to be attended to. Indeed, such condemnation of us seems to be an
indispensable prerequisite--license, so to speak--among you to be
admitted or permitted to speak at all.

Now, can you, or not, be prevailed upon to pause and to consider
whether this is quite just to us, or even to yourselves?

Bring forward your charges and specifications, and then be patient long
enough to hear us deny or justify.

You say we are sectional. We