Lincoln at Chicago, July 10, 1858, as reported in the Chicago Daily Democrat, July 13, 1858
We were often—more than once at
least—in the course of Judge Douglas’ speech last night, reminded that this
government was made for white men—that he believed it was made for white men.
Well, that is putting it into a shape in which no one wants to deny it, but the
Judge then goes into his passion for drawing inferences that are not warranted.
I protest, now and forever, against that counterfeit logic which presumes that
because I do not want a negro woman for a slave, I do not necessarily want her
for a wife. [Laughter and cheers.] My understanding is that I need not have her
for either, but as God made us separate, we can leave one another alone and do
one another much good thereby. There are white men enough to marry all the
white women, and enough black men to marry all the black women, and in God’s
name let them be so married. The Judge regales us with the terrible enormities
that take place by the mixture of the races; that the inferior race bears the
superior down. Why, Judge, if we do not let them get together in the territories
they won’t mix there. [Immense applause.]
A VOICE—“Three cheers for
Lincoln.” [the cheers were given with a hearty good will.] (The Complete
Lincoln-Douglas Debates of 1858, ed. Paul M. Angle [Chicago: The University
of Chicago Press, 1958, 1991], 39)