The peculiar difficult of meeting Douglas in argument before a popular audience is here exhibited in its most perfect form. The persuasive force of his last proposition lay in a most ingenious play on the words "State" and "Territory." Although the people of Missouri had formed a State Constitution, they did not become a State until Congress approved it and formally admitted them. During the entire period of dispute they continued a Territory. Douglas' argument assumes that they became a State on forming a Constitution.
Chapter XV. The Debates with Lincoln Continued.
The second debate was held at Freeport on August 27th. Lincoln opened his speech with a series of answers to the questions asked at Ottawa.
"I do not," he said, * * * "stand in favor of the unconditional repeal of the Fugitive Slave law. * * *
"I do not * * * stand pledged against the admission of any more slave States into the Union. * * * *
"I do not stand pledged against the admission of a new State. * * * with such a Constitutions as the people * * * may see fit to make. * * *
"I do not stand pledged to the abolition of slavery in the District of Columbia. * * *
"I'm impliedly, if not expressly, pledged to a belief in the right and duty of Congress to prohibit slavery in all the United States Territories. * * *
"I am not opposed to the honest acquisition of territory. * * * I would or would not oppose such acquisition accordingly as I might think such acquisition would or would not aggravate the slavery question among ourselves."
The questions asked and answered were, whether he was PLEDGED to any of these things. He was willing, however, to state what he really thought of them.