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sistently attempted to destroy a species of property protected by the Constitution； ought not Congress to intervene for the protection of the citizens？
Douglas replied to these deadly attacks。 He reminded them that when they repealed the Missouri Compromise they had agreed to leave all these questions to the people of the Territories and the decision of the Supreme Court。 This was the true Democratic doctrine。 Davis and Mason had both said that no man holding his views could receive the support of the South for the Presidency。 Yet this was the doctrine of Cass when candidate for President； but the whole South gave him their votes。 When did this change of creed occur？
Davis answered briefly； regretting that Douglas had not denied or explained any of his Illinois speeches； and said he was now satisfied that he was as full of heresy as he once was of the true theory of popular sovereignty。 He declared that this doctrine was 〃offensive to every idea of conservatism and sound government； a thing offensive to every idea of the supremacy of the laws of the United States；〃 and announced plainly that the South would not support him for President。 He persistently pressed him to say whether he meant to abide by the Dred Scott decision。
The Court； answered Douglas； had decided that neither Congress nor the territorial legislature could prohibit the settler from bringing his slaves to a Territory。 〃In other words； the right of transit is clear； the right of entry is clear。 * * * You have the same right to hold them as other property； subject to such local laws as the legislature may constitutionally enact。 If those laws render it impracticable to HOLD your property； whether it be your horse or your slave； why； it is your misfortune。〃
He had reached the brink of the abyss。 The South was preparing for treason and rebellion。 Its mood was altogether too tragic to be even amused by his philosophic refinements。 It rejected them now； not with contempt； but with horror。 The North； too； was in stern mood。 Its abhorrence of slavery had intensified with constant agitation。 It was grimly earnest in its resolve to resist all further extension of it and resented the indifference of the statesman who did not care whether the burning crime of the ages was voted up or voted down。
Douglas； who regarded the ethics of this question with indifference and who supremely desired to conciliate the South without alienating the North； blundered in plunging into this debate。 The Southern Senators were unanswerably right。 Since the Dred Scott decision his position was so clearly untenable that to insist upon it amid conditions so threatening seemed to them the most intolerable trifling。 The Republicans looked on as pleased spectators while the battle raged between Northern and Southern Democrats and the party was hopelessly torn asunder。 It was clear the part of prudence to restrain his impulsive pugnacity for the remaining weeks of the session。 But when challenged to defend himself his impatient eagerness to speak was uncontrollable。
Chapter XVII。 Seeking Reconciliation。
After the adjournment he devoted himself to a new and unfamiliar task。 He prepared an article for Harper's Magazine on the slavery question and its relation to party politics； in which he defended his position； explained his philosophy and sought to throw light on this confused subject。 The article made some stir at the time。 It contained nothing； however； which he had not already said much better in his speeches。 He was not a man of literary culture or habits。 His thought was brightest and his eloquence highest when the battle was raging。
The article had the good fortune to provoke a rather elaborate anonymous reply from Jeremiah S。 Black； Buchanan's Attorney…general。 Black was a profound lawyer and better writer than Douglas。 While he would have been no match for him in senatorial debate or on the stump； he completely eclipsed him as a literary controversialist。 Moreover； Black was standing on firm ground； simply insisting that his party accept the decision of the Supreme Court as law and conform its conduct to it without evasion or pettifoggery； while Douglas was striving to stand in mid…air； nullifying the decision by clever tricks and condemning as anarchists the Republicans； who frankly confessed their hostility to it。 He gravely argued that Congress could grant to a territorial legislature power which the Constitution denied to itself。 Black's answer was crushing and showed conclusively that there was no basis in either law or logic for those peculiar doctrines in which Douglas differed from his party。 Black judiciously avoided all discussion of the ethics of the question； confining himself to an examination of the legal basis of Douglas' special creed； proving clearly that it had been utterly swept away。
On the night of October 16th occurred John Brown's mad exploit at Harper's Ferry。 Congress opened on December 5th。 On the 12th of January Douglas' heretical opinions on the right of the people to exclude slavery from the Territories were called in question。 The Southern Senators pressed upon him the fact that he had agreed to abide by the decision of the Supreme Court on the disputed question； and； now that the South had been sustained by the decision； he had virtually repudiated it by his Illinois speeches。 No man holding such opinions； they declared； was a sound Democrat or could possibly receive the vote of a Southern State at the Charleston Convention。 They justified their action in removing him from his chairmanship of the Committee on Territories by a rehearsal of his heretical opinions and announced their purpose to oppose his presidential aspirations。 He defended himself against this irregular attack with great ability and courage； maintaining the soundness of his Democracy and imputing heresy to his accusers； who were seeking to debauch the ancient Democratic faith by infusing into it their late…invented doctrines。 At last； wearied by the irregular debate； he sarcastically proposed that； as his health was poor； they all make their attacks upon him and present their charges； when they were through he would 〃fire at the lump〃 and vindicate every word he had said。
A few days later he offered a resolution to instruct the Judiciary Committee to prepare a bill to suppress and punish conspiracies in one State to invade or otherwise molest the people or property of another； and addressed the Senate upon it。 He expressed his firm and deliberate conviction that the John Brown raid at Harper's Ferry was the natural； logical； inevitable result of the doctrines and teachings of the Republican party as explained and the enforced in speeches of its leaders in and out of Congress。 He said that when he returned home in 1858 for the purpose of canvassing Illinois with a view to reelection； he had to meet this issue of the irrepressible conflict。 Lincoln had already proclaimed the existence of inexpiable hostility between free States and slave States。 Later； Seward had announced it in his Rochester speech。 It was evidently the creed of his party。 The Harper's Ferry outrage was a natural and logical consequence of these p