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Quotation from The Lincoln-Douglas Debates by Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas
“It matters not what way the Supreme Court may hereafter decide as to the abstract question whether slavery may or may not go into a Territory under the Constitution, the people have the lawful means to introduce it or exclude it as they please, for the reason that slavery cannot exist a day or an hour anywhere, unless it is supported by local police regulations.”
The Lincoln-Douglas Debates, Second Joint Debate, Freeport, Douglas's reply (Political Debates Between Lincoln and Douglas (Columbus: Follett, Foster, 1860), Internet Archive OCR text)
Douglas's answer to Lincoln's second question, later called the Freeport Doctrine.
Citation: "It matters not what way the Supreme Court may hereafter decide as to the abstract question whether slavery may or may not go into a Territory under the Constitution, the people have the lawful means to introduce it or exclude it as they please, for the reason that slavery cannot exist a day or an hour anywhere, unless it is supported by local police regulations." — Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas, The Lincoln-Douglas Debates, Second Joint Debate, Freeport, Douglas's reply (Political Debates Between Lincoln and Douglas (Columbus: Follett, Foster, 1860), Internet Archive OCR text). (id lincoln-douglas-debates-q5)
Portrait: Abraham Lincoln O-77 matte collodion print, Alexander Gardner, Public domain.
