As matter of fact, the first branch of the proposition is
historically true; the government was made by white men, and they were
and are the superior race. This I admit. But the corner-stone of the
government, so to speak, was the declaration that "all men are created
equal," and all entitled to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of
happiness." [Applause.]
And not only so, but the framers of the Constitution were particular to
keep out of that instrument the word "slave," the reason being that
slavery would ultimately come to an end, and they did not wish to have
any reminder that in this free country human beings were ever prostituted
to slavery. [Applause.] Nor is it any argument that we are superior and
the negro inferior--that he has but one talent while we have ten. Let the
negro possess the little he has in independence; if he has but one
talent, he should be permitted to keep the little he has. [Applause:] But
slavery will endure no test of reason or logic; and yet its advocates,
like Douglas, use a sort of bastard logic, or noisy assumption it might
better be termed, like the above, in order to prepare the mind for the
gradual, but none the less certain, encroachments of the Moloch of
slavery upon the fair domain of freedom.
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