The platform will refer to the Declaration of
Independence, and all that. But it will also have a tariff plank. The
Democrats have beaten the Morrill tariff bill; and we want a
tariff--Pennsylvania wants a tariff for iron. And we will nominate
Seward and elect him."
"What if the Southern States secede?"
"That suits us. That will give the Republican party complete control.
With the Southern States out, we will have the Senate and the House as
well as the President, and we can dominate everything, and gather in all
the offices--postmasters, marshals, Federal judges, everything. The
northern Democrats will have nothing to say. Your friend Douglas will
have nothing to say. He is already a played-out horse. He won't be able
to even whinny in the Senate. And the world and the fullness thereof
will be ours."
"How about Seward being too radical?"
"No, he isn't. Look at what it comes to. Kansas will come in as a free
state. The work is already done for that. California came in as a free
state. Minnesota, Oregon, Wisconsin, have all come in as free states
under the Democratic party and with Douglas on top as Senator. There
won't be any more slave states no matter who is elected."
"That's what I think."
"I only say this to show that this talk of the radicalism of Seward is
nonsense.
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