At the North there was a deep sense of wrong, with indignation at the pretensions of the Slave Power, yearning for a voice in Congress that should speak out the general sentiment.

I have long been convinced that the great obstacle to the cause of human rights and the ultimate prosperity and freedom of our native land is the corruption of the moral sense of our nation.

We are very religious as a people, so far as religion is convenient, and consistent with money-getting, office, and power; but so far as it interferes with those pursuits, we are a nation of infidels.

To me it seems the Democratic party is utterly and ostentatiously profligate, the unblushing advocates of human slavery and piratical warfare, the most God-defying party which ever cursed our country.

As to Slavery, the Church is exerting a most corrupting influence.

The violence, insolence, cruelty, and injustice springing from Slavery are gradually drifting into anarchy,--and anarchy leads first to civil war, and then to military usurpation.

I think all honest men must now be convinced that nothing is gained to Freedom by compromises.

Especially, I know that it would exceedingly gratify the friends of Freedom, if the arrogance and bullyism of Douglas could be signally rebuked, and his faithlessness to the honor and welfare of his native land be conspicuously exhibited.

It is time for us to show that we mean to submit to the Southern bravado no longer.

I have always felt humiliated by the tone our men have taken in Congress, yielding everything, and never daring to assert their rights or to exercise their true power to crush these fellows into submission.

He designated Senator Butler as the Don Quixote of Slavery, and Douglas as its Sancho Panza.

It views the leading men of the other section through the medium of its fear, its hatred, or its contempt, and can recognize no likeness, unless the features are distorted and the canvas is darkened, unless the countenance is wicked and…

There is but one opinion among all competent judges as to the unexampled feast of eloquence which has been enjoyed in the Senate for the past two days, from the lips of Senator Sumner.

Never, I think, from anything did I receive an impression of greater power and grandeur.

It came over me like the sound of many waters.

I laid down the paper, and still there seemed to press around me a solemn, majestic anthem from a mighty organ.

I can almost imagine that around that sick-bed the invisible angels gather, and that on that bruised and mangled head the rays of a divine halo gleam between the blossoms of an imperishable wreath.

I would avoid estimating him too highly; but it seems to me that it may be said without extravagance, that to much of the firmly knit strength and unassailable logic of a Webster he unites all the fire and fervor of an Otis, with the grace…

But underlying, interpenetrating, and informing all this brilliancy of genius is the earnest philanthropy of the man,--a philanthropy which gives an effect to all his productions, which the cold-blooded politician, or statesman, even, can…

For, before he uttered a word, he knew its probable effect; he measured the danger before he struck the blow.

A grand and terrible philippic, worthy of the great occasion; the severe and awful truth which the sharp agony of the national crisis demanded.

We cannot see as yet the entire results of that speech, but everything now indicates that it has saved the country.

I cannot but hope that the recent occurrence will have a powerful influence in advancing the good cause which you have so zealously and ably defended.

I wish I could find new words to communicate to you the impression full of charm and joy, reading your speech this morning.

Let us at all hazards prevent the extension of Slavery and the increase of the Slave Power.