They tried secession at Hartford, when they didn't like
the War of 1812; then they held up their hands in horror when South
Carolina threatened to secede over the tariff. They called on God to
avenge the Mexican War; then they grabbed this slavery matter to give
them a moral push into power. They elected a President, but were afraid
to formulate a platform. All the while they had played with England,
skulking and running and fawning upon England, when our vital interests
were at stake, and siding with England on the canal and on Oregon. They
are better than other men! They are more holy! They are pure, just,
broad! They love God! They are the only Christians! There is only one
evil and that is slavery! But there are many gods, of which banks and
tariffs are not the least; yet I notice that they do not give away
Texas and California, those unholy fruits of a wicked war for which you
fought, my friend. They like the gold and the wheat. And in order to
ride into power they put forward old Taylor, and blow hot and cold with
him and Millard Fillmore."
The great organ-like voice of Douglas poured forth a steady stream of
talk as we sat together under the wonderful stars of a clear sky, with
the soft breeze from the Gulf blowing around us. Dorothy had fallen
asleep. I got up and looked at her, and finding her resting peacefully I
returned to my chair.
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