In 1837, the Legislature of Illinois adopted a series of resolutions
of a pro-slavery character reprobating the methods of the
Abolitionists. Against the resolutions as adopted, Abraham Lincoln
prepared a memorandum and, together with Daniel Stone, a fellow member
of the body, had the same spread upon its journal as a more accurate
expression of their views. After referring to the resolutions, the
paper declares:
"They believe that the institution of slavery is founded on both
injustice and bad policy, but that the promulgation of abolition
doctrines tends rather to increase than abate its evils."[70]
This declaration of Mr. Lincoln was at once a protest and a prophecy.
It is sometimes urged that because of Mr. Lincoln's youth, at this
time, his estimate of the injuries wrought by the "promulgation of
abolition doctrines" is not entitled to much weight. It is true that
he was then in his twenty-ninth year. A quotation from an even more
notable deliverance, made fifteen years later, will show that
reflection and observation served to confirm his convictions of the
earlier date. In his eulogy on Henry Clay, delivered in the State
House, at Springfield, Illinois, July 16th, 1852, he said:
"Cast into life when slavery was already widely spread and deeply
seated, he did not perceive, as I think no wise man has perceived,
how it could be at once eradicated without producing a greater evil
even to the cause of human liberty itself. His feeling and his
judgment, therefore, ever led him to oppose both extremes of opinion
on the subject. Those who would shiver into fragments the Union of
these states, tear to tatters its now venerated constitution, and
even burn the last copy of the Bible, rather than slavery should
continue a single hour, together with all their more halting
sympathizers, have received, and are receiving their just
execration; and the name and opinion and influence of Mr. Clay are
fully and, as I trust, effectually and enduringly arrayed against
them."[71]