Page:The World's Famous Orations Volume 9.djvu/236

 THE WORLD'S FAMOUS ORATIONS home production? And as the home producers will probably ask the protection, he will be wholly without a ground of opposition. Senator Douglas holds, we know, that a man may rightfully be wiser to-day than he was yesterda^^ — that he may rightfully change when he finds himself wrong. But can we, for that reason run ahead, and infer that he will make any particular change, of which he himself has given no intimation? Can we safely base our action upon any such vague inference? Now, as ever, I wish not to misrepresent Judge Doug- las 's position, question his motives, or do aught that can be personally offensive to him. When- ever, if ever, he and we can come together on principle, so that our cause may have assistance from his great ability, I hope to have interposed no adventitious obstacle. But, clearly, he is not now w^ith us — he does not pretend to be, he does not promise ever to be. Our cause, then, must be entrusted to, and conducted by, its own undoubted friends — those whose hands are free, whose hearts are in the work — who do care for the result. Two years ago the Republicans of the nation mustered over thirteen hundred thousand strong. We did this under the single impulse of resistance to a com- mon danger. With every external circumstance against us, of strange, discordant, and even hos- tile elements, we gathered from the four winds, and formed and fought the battle through, un-. der the constant hot fire of a disciplined, proud, and pampered enemy. Did we brave all then,