Quotes · Quote card
Quotation from The Lincoln-Douglas Debates by Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas
“Whenever the great principle of self-government — the right of the people to make their own Constitution, and come into the Union with slavery or without it, as they see proper, shall again arise, you will find me standing firm in defense of that principle, and fighting whoever fights it.”
The Lincoln-Douglas Debates, Second Joint Debate, Freeport, Douglas's reply, on Lecompton (Political Debates Between Lincoln and Douglas (Columbus: Follett, Foster, 1860), Internet Archive OCR text)
Douglas explains that his opposition to the Lecompton Constitution followed from the same principle as the Nebraska Act.
Citation: "Whenever the great principle of self-government — the right of the people to make their own Constitution, and come into the Union with slavery or without it, as they see proper, shall again arise, you will find me standing firm in defense of that principle, and fighting whoever fights it." — Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas, The Lincoln-Douglas Debates, Second Joint Debate, Freeport, Douglas's reply, on Lecompton (Political Debates Between Lincoln and Douglas (Columbus: Follett, Foster, 1860), Internet Archive OCR text). (id lincoln-douglas-debates-q6)
Virtues: Fortitude
Portrait: Abraham Lincoln O-77 matte collodion print, Alexander Gardner, Public domain.
