Page:The World's Famous Orations Volume 10.djvu/40

 THE WORLD'S FAMOUS ORATIONS

natured — I am not going to lose my temper ; will you watch yours? Besides all that, it rests me, and gives me a chance, you know, to get my breath. [Applause and hisses.] And I think that the bark of those men is worse than their bite. They do not mean any harm ; they do not know any better. [Loud applause, hisses and continued uproar.]

What will be the result if this present struggle shall eventuate in the separation of America, and making the South — [loud applause, hooting and cries of "Bravo!"] — a slave territory exclu- sively — [cries of *'No, no!" and laughter] — and the North a free territory ; what will be the first result? You will lay the foundation for carry- ing the slave population clear through to the Pacific Ocean. That is the first step. There is not a man who has been a leader of the South any time within these twenty years, that has not had this for a plan. It was for this that Texas was invaded, first by colonists, next by maraud- ers, until it was wrested from Mexico. It was for this that they engaged in the Mexican War itself, by which the vast territory reaching to the Pacific was added to the Union. Never have they for a moment given up the plan of spread- ing the American institution, as they call it, straight through toward the West, until the slave who has washed his feet in the Atlantic shall be carried to wash them in the Pacific. [Cries of "Question" and uproar.] There! I have got 18

�� �