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Show 18C9 ABRAHAM LINCOLN 1865 &! v 1 , r' r 4 , - 8p Lincoln-Douglas Debate Greatest in Our History Llnciiln first iittractcd nntlonal at-ff-i i ti rn in flip Lincoln-Dougliis (lobato In 1.S5S. Conr'cniing this dehate h wi'tfr wlio lienrd it says: "I'.otli with v ii'l'iTiTice to the ability of the speakers speak-ers and Its influence upon opinion and events, it was unquestionably the most iitiporlant in American hisiorv; that the speeches of Lincoln, published, circulated cir-culated and read throughout the lVee Mates, did more than any other agency In creating public opinion which prepared pre-pared the way for I lie overthrow of ilavery." It was in speeches in that debate that Lincoln made frequent us el' i lie declaration that "a house divided di-vided against Itself shall not stand," ii declaration that is both scriptural hihI self-evident In the application i;..u!e by Lincoln: "I believe this government gov-ernment cannot emiure permanently half slave and half free. I do not " pect he house to fall, but I do expert it will cease to be divided. I. will become all one thing or the other. Hither the opponents of slavery slav-ery will arrest the further spread of ll ami (dure It where the public mind shall rest In the belief that it is in the course of ultimate extinction, or ils advocates will push It forward until un-til il becomes alike lawful In all the Hates, old ns well as new. nrth as i V ' ll ;is smith." The position of Hong- las i n the question of slavery was one of indifference. In his speeches he I i it, .y criticized the declaration of Lincoln and his application of a I "h" a-c divided against itself." Houg-lus Houg-lus advocated with all his power the doe'rine of "popular sovereignty" a : proposition which, as quaintly put by ' Lincoln, meant that "if one man I chouses to enslave another no I bird I man I''" a right to object." I Coth Giants In Intellect. At Hie time of this memorable (Its-ration (Its-ration Imth Lincoln and Itouetas ncie in tin- full maturity of their rowers, says a writer in (he Indianapolis Indianap-olis News, noughts being at the age of forty live years and Lincoln four years Ids senior. 1'ouglas had long ben recognized as an able and po-m lar sp.tker. In congress and In me railed Slates senate he bad been accustomed ac-customed In meet the ablest debaters "' 'he slate and nation. His friends licistrd that never, elihcr in rnntlict wm!i a single opponent, or when re-pellin- the assaults of a whole party j had be ever- been discomfited. His iik;i.ner was bold, vigorous and ( giessie. e was ready and tluent ; In language, elegant in diction, fertile ; In resources and especially familiar ! wi'li political history. Lincoln was ! ai iha! time a trained speaker, having : contended successfully at the bar, In the legislature and in the congress, and before the people with (lie ablest tucu of the West including tloticjas. wbli whoia ho always rather sought than avoided a discussion. Such wire the champions who on-pagr.i on-pagr.i in thai ramus di: -ruse;.. a be-fo-o the people of Illinois, with the whole nalion as spectators and audi clue, the political questions then pcn.l lug- tie'-iaHy the vital quesiion re-lalin; re-lalin; to sla cry. It was not a single combat, but extended through n wdiole campaign. The meetings were held In the. open air, for no hall was large enough to accommodate (he imnvonse crowds that assembled at each place to bear the discussion. The spoiVhes were published in all the principal newspapers of the country and were eagerly read by a majority of the voters in the United States. The attention at-tention of the people was fhss arrested ar-rested and the whole nation was aroused on this one vital question of the day s It had never been before. Douglas secured the immediate object ob-ject of the contest in retaining his seat In the United States senate: but the vigorous logic, the honesty and sincerity and the great intellectual powers exhibited by Lincoln prepared the way for his nomination and election elec-tion to the Presidency two years later which was really the goal of Dong-las' Dong-las' ambition and the ultimate object of the Lincoln-Douglas debate. Douglas' Patriotism. It Is a touclilpg incident and happily Illustrates the patriotism that inspired both of these statesmen, widely as they differed in political policy and keen ns bad been their rivalry, just its soon as the life of the republic was HODGENVILLE STATUE V . i-r ssf V- ;?H--VL. -I 5V . 1 k : c i . - -isr-S - Work ct aie Wcll-Ki-own Kjw York j Sculptor, Ado'pb Weinman. I ic.euaced they joined hands to shield and s:mi the country they both loved. When Abraham Lincoln walked on I ' to the cast stops of 'he i-apitol to , deliver his inaugural address and take the oath "f ot'ice as I'tesident of lb-United lb-United States facing a great m wd of people, amerg w ho-n were taanv who would pladiy have taken Ids life the n an who accotr.pr.tded him and who sti od close l.y his side, the tarin who was the -first to ta'e Lis hand j and pledge his unqtudilieil support in the great task Linci.iii b;oi ass'imcl 1 as President of a distract'd c.iu:-frf. j was S.-crdor Stephen A. -DOT;t-i. Ui- j fer'un'itely for tb.e ceu'd.rv, noetrhis j died a few months l.iter---.IiiTte fl. lit! --and the raase of the I'nior. r.i'.il v.ip-I v.ip-I ert of the ndmlnisi ratiep was i!e-rivt-d of Ids great in"ueni-e. In r"Spense to lr.vl:.itlo:.s Lincoln visited the cities of Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Cin-cinnati, Columbus, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Pitts-burgh, and other places in the East on his Journey from Springfield to Washington a journey that occupied about ten days, marked by official receptions re-ceptions and great crowd3 of people anxious to see and hear the man upon whom the destinies of the country depended. de-pended. Every word of the Presidentelect President-elect on this Journey was carefully scanned for some light by which to read the troubled and uncertain future. fu-ture. Measuring his words with unusual un-usual caution, he avoided any announcement an-nouncement of policy, but the country coun-try was nevertheless nble to read between be-tween the lines that It had made no mistake in the man to whom It had confided the preservation of the government. gov-ernment. Pathetic Leave Taking. Nothing in the history of Lincoln is more pathetic than the scene of his departure from Springfield on the morning of February 11, 1S61, when he bade farewell to his old friends and neighbors. The scene Is thus described de-scribed by Lincoln's biographer: "A throng of at least, a thousand of Lincoln's .Vlr.,-;s Hnd neighbors h.td gathered at the dingy little railroad station at SH'ing(le!d tu bid him good by. It was a cloudy, stormy morn Ing. which served to add gloom and depression to their spirits. The lenvt-la lenvt-la became a scene of subdued anxiety, . almost of solemnity. Mr. Lincoln took a position in the waiting room where his friends filed past him often merely pressing his hand In si lent emotion. The half-finished ceremony cere-mony was broken by the ringing bell and rushing train. The crowd closed about the railroad car Into which the j President-elect and his party had en j tercd. Then came the central inei , dent of the morning. Once more the bell gave notice of starting, but the conductor paused with his hand lifted to the hell rope. Mr. Lincoln appeared ap-peared on- the platform of the car and i':n vd Ids hand to command attention. I The bystanders bared their heads to ! tin Lola::- l owilakes and standing thus Ids neighbors heard his voice for i the last time in the city of his home." May Hav; Foreseen Fate. Llncoiii's farewell address In his Springlichl neighbors Is expressed In words so (-basic and pathetic that It reads us If he already felt the tragic shadow of loi coasting faie. "No one." he said, "can rea'ize Hie sadness I fee! at this part in u. ' now leave, not knowing know-ing when or whether ever I may re tuiu. I g to assume a task more dif ticidt Then any that li :! - devolwd upon any chief executive s'n.-e Washington Will out the -assistance of that Divine I'.eing who ever attended him I cai eot succ .d- wilt, that assistance I cannot can-not fail. Trusting in Him who can go i with me and retrain with you. and be everywhere for good, h-l us confni -nt-! ly hope that all will h we'l. To His care I comiuerd yon. as 1 hope in your prayers yc.i will c:miK nil im. I !'' you an r. :": et i'-ea: ? farrwe:!." And a -hr wived Ids hand i'l t:Lrcwei! to ti. ('1 h.o" to wai-h he was mvir to ret".rn. t' e f erven: re -tcjiis-e from many ef Ids old friends "tio-i l.a-sv an i !:. i you ; iT- 1 p -eject you." "j V' ' vere "sorr.vwin g n-cst cf all fr r lb-words lb-words he spake," in pressed with i fooling the.t they would 5ce lis tz. no more. |