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the abolition should be gradual； second； that it should be on a
vote of the majority of qualified voters in the District； and
third； that compensation should be made to unwilling owners。
With these three conditions； I confess I would be exceedingly
glad to see Congress abolish slavery in the District of Columbia；
and； in the language of Henry Clay； 〃sweep from our capital that
foul blot upon our nation。〃
In regard to the fifth interrogatory； I must say here that； as to
the question of the abolition of the slave…trade between the
different States； I can truly answer； as I have； that I am
pledged to nothing about it。 It is a subject to which I have not
given that mature consideration that would make me feel
authorized to state a position so as to hold myself entirely
bound by it。 In other words； that question has never been
prominently enough before me to induce me to investigate whether
we really have the constitutional power to do it。 I could
investigate it if I had sufficient time to bring myself to a
conclusion upon that subject； but I have not done so； and I say
so frankly to you here； and to Judge Douglas。 I must say；
however； that if I should be of opinion that Congress does
possess the constitutional power to abolish the slave…trade among
the different States； I should still not be in favor of the
exercise of that power； unless upon some conservative principle
as I conceive it； akin to what I have said in relation to the
abolition of slavery in the District of Columbia。
My answer as to whether I desire that slavery should be
prohibited in all the Territories of the United States is full
and explicit within itself； and cannot be made clearer by any
comments of mine。 So I suppose in regard to the question whether
I am opposed to the acquisition of any more territory unless
slavery is first prohibited therein； my answer is such that I
could add nothing by way of illustration； or making myself better
understood； than the answer which I have placed in writing。
Now in all this the Judge has me； and he has me on the record。 I
suppose he had flattered himself that I was really entertaining
one set of opinions for one place； and another set for another
place； that I was afraid to say at one place what I uttered at
another。 What I am saying here I suppose I say to a vast
audience as strongly tending to Abolitionism as any audience in
the State of Illinois； and I believe I am saying that which； if
it would be offensive to any persons and render them enemies to
myself； would be offensive to persons in this
audience。
I now proceed to propound to the Judge the interrogatories； so
far as I have framed them。 I will bring forward a new
installment when I get them ready。 I will bring them forward now
only reaching to number four。
The first one is：
Question 1。If the people of Kansas shall； by means entirely
unobjectionable in all other respects； adopt a State
constitution； and ask admission into the Union under it； before
they have the requisite number of inhabitants according to the
English bill；some ninety…three thousand；will you vote to
admit them？
Q。 2。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？
Q。 3。 If the Supreme Court of the United States shall decide
that States cannot exclude slavery from their limits； are you in
favor of acquiescing in； adopting； and following such decision as
a rule of political action？
Q。 4。 Are you in favor of acquiring additional territory； in
disregard of how such acquisition may affect the nation on the
slavery question？
As introductory to these interrogatories which Judge Douglas
propounded to me at Ottawa； he read a set of resolutions which he
said Judge Trumbull and myself had participated in adopting； in
the first Republican State Convention； held at Springfield in
October； 1854。 He insisted that I and Judge Trumbull； and
perhaps the entire Republican party； were responsible for the
doctrines contained in the set of resolutions which he read； and
I understand that it was from that set of resolutions that he
deduced the interrogatories which he propounded to me； using
these resolutions as a sort of authority for propounding those
questions to me。 Now； I say here to…day that I do not answer his
interrogatories because of their springing at all from that set
of resolutions which he read。 I answered them because Judge
Douglas thought fit to ask them。 I do not now； nor ever did；
recognize any responsibility upon myself in that set of
resolutions。 When I replied to him on that occasion； I assured
him that I never had anything to do with them。 I repeat here to
today that I never in any possible form had anything to do with
that set of resolutions It turns out； I believe； that those
resolutions were never passed in any convention held in
Springfield。
It turns out that they were never passed at any convention or any
public meeting that I had any part in。 I believe it turns out；
in addition to all this； that there was not； in the fall of 1854；
any convention holding a session in Springfield； calling itself a
Republican State Convention； yet it is true there was a
convention； or assemblage of men calling themselves a convention；
at Springfield； that did pass some resolutions。 But so little
did I really know of the proceedings of that convention； or what
set of resolutions they had passed； though having a general
knowledge that there had been such an assemblage of men there；
that when Judge Douglas read the resolutions； I really did not
know but they had been the resolutions passed then and there。 I
did not question that they were the resolutions adopted。 For I
could not bring myself to suppose that Judge Douglas could say
what he did upon this subject without knowing that it was true。
I contented myself； on that occasion； with denying； as I truly
could； all connection with them； not denying or affirming whether
they were passed at Springfield。 Now； it turns out that he had
got hold of some resolutions passed at some convention or public
meeting in Kane County。 I wish to say here； that I don't
conceive that in any fair and just mind this discovery relieves
me at all。 I had just as much to do with the convention in Kane
County as that at Springfield。 I am as much responsible for the
resolutions at Kane County as those at Springfield；the amount
of the responsibility being exactly nothing in either case； no
more than there would be in regard to a set of resolutions passed
in the moon。
I allude to this extraordinary matter in this canvass for some
further purpose than anything yet advanced。 Judge Douglas did
not make his statement upon that occasion as matters that he
believed to be true； but he stated them roundly as being true； in
such form as to pledge his veracity for their truth。 When the
whole matter turns out as it does； and when we consider who Judge
Douglas is； that he is a distinguished Senator of the United
States； that he has served nearly twelve years as such； that his
character is not at all limited as an ordinary Senator of the
United States； but that his name has become of world…wide
renown；it is most extraordinary that he should so far forget
all the suggestions of justice to an adversary； or of prudence to
himself； as to venture upon the assertion of that which the
slightest investigation would have shown him to be wholly false。
I can only account for his having done so upon the supposition
that that evil genius which has attended him through his life；
giving to him an apparent astonishing prosperity； such as to lead
very many good men to doubt there being any advantage in virtue
over vice；I say I can only account for it on the supposition
that that evil genius has as last made up its mind to