The reminiscences . al antagonism between free-dom and slavery was smouldering beneath the surface, butduring one of those intervals of torpid conscience which some-times occur between periods of excited struggle, the surfaceat least was comparatively calm. Multitudes of people whohad felt strongly upon the subject enjoyed a sort of indolentrelief in dismissing the slavery question from their Douglas violently roused the public mind from its tem-porary lethargy by proposing, in his Nebraska Bill, to sweep ,away the legal barriers which had shielded certain Territoriesfrom the ing
The reminiscences . al antagonism between free-dom and slavery was smouldering beneath the surface, butduring one of those intervals of torpid conscience which some-times occur between periods of excited struggle, the surfaceat least was comparatively calm. Multitudes of people whohad felt strongly upon the subject enjoyed a sort of indolentrelief in dismissing the slavery question from their Douglas violently roused the public mind from its tem-porary lethargy by proposing, in his Nebraska Bill, to sweep ,away the legal barriers which had shielded certain Territoriesfrom the ingress of slavery on the until then unheard-of ground,that such prohibition was adverse to the spirit of the Constitu-tion, and that according to the true principle of PopularSovereignty the people of all the Territories should be leftfree to exclude slavery or to admit it even if, until then, it hadbeen legally excluded. There was at the time no public callfor so startling a measure. The American people had ac- [84,]. ABRAHAM LINCOLN THE REMINISCENCES OF CARL SCHURZcepted the legal exclusion of slavery from certain Territoriesin good faith. Even the South—some scheming slavery-prop-agandists excepted—had acquiesced in it. Why did Douglasadvance his disturbing measure? Did he do it, as his friendsasserted, because he really thought he could thus put theslavery question to rest? Then he had dreadfully misjudgedthe character and temper of the American people; for nothingcould have been more apt to fan the smouldering embers intoa new and furious flame. Did he do it because he believedthat so daring a bid for Southern favor as the opening of theTerritories to the ingress of slavery was, would open to himan easy road to the presidency? Then he had disastrouslymiscalculated his chances, for he could not satisfy the greedof the slave-holders for an increase of power without irre-trievably forfeiting the favor of the North. The Dred Scott decision must have made him feel thatthe two
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