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Show 1809 ABRAHAM LINCOLN 1865 MrJ - X ;; ' Lincoln-Douglas Debate Greatest in Our History Lincoln first attracted national attention at-tention in the Lincoln-Douglas debate In ISnS. Concerning this debate a writer who heard it says: "Both with reference to the ability of the speakers speak-ers and Its influence upon opinion and events, it was unquestionably the most Important In American history; that the speeches of Lincoln, published, circulated cir-culated and read throughout the free states, did more than any other agency In creating public opinion which prepared pre-pared the way for the overthrow of slavery." It was in speeches In that debate tha,t Lincoln made frequent use of the declaration (hat "a house divided di-vided against itself shall not stand," a declaration that Is both scriptural and, self-evident In the application made by Lincoln: "I believe this government gov-ernment cannot endure permanently halt slave and half free. I do not expect the house to fall, but I do expect It will cense to be divided. It will become all one thing or the other. Either the opponents of slavery slav-ery will arrest the further spread of It and place It where the public mind shall rest in the belief that it is In the course of ultimate extinction, or its advocates will push it forward until un-til It becomes alike lawful in all the states, old as well as new, north as well as south." The position of Douglas Doug-las on the question of slavery was one of Indifference. In his speeches he severely criticized the declaration of Lincoln and his application of a "house divided against Itself." Douglas Doug-las advocated with all his power the doctrlfie of "popular sovereignty" a proposition which, as quaintly put by Lincoln, meant that "If one man chooses to enslave another no third man has a right to object." Both Giants In Intellect. At the time of this memorable discussion dis-cussion both Lincoln and Douglas were In the full maturity of their powers, says a writer in the Indianapolis Indianap-olis News. Douglas being at the age of forty-live years and Lincoln four years his senior. Douglas had long been recognized as an able and ponu-lar ponu-lar speaker. In congress and in tae I'nited States senate he had been accustomed ac-customed to meet the ablest debaters of the slate and nation. Hi's friends Insisted that never, either in conflict with a single opponent, or when repelling re-pelling the assaults of a whole party bad he ever been discomfited. Ills manner was bold, vigorous and aggressive. ag-gressive. He was ready nnd fluent In language, elegant in diction, fertile' In resources and especially familiar with political history. Lincoln was at that time a trained speaker, having contended successfully at the bar. in the legislature and in the congress, and before the people with the ablest men of the West Including Douglas, wlrh whom he always rather sought than avoided a discussion. Such were the champions who engaged en-gaged in that famous discussion before be-fore the people '.f Illinois, with the whole nation as spectators and audience, audi-ence, the polltioat questions then pending--especially the vital question relating re-lating to sla cry. It was not a single combat, but extended through a whole campaign. The meetings were held In the open air, for no hall was large enough to accommodate the immense crowds that assembled at each place to hear the discussion. The speeches were published In all the principal new-spapers 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 thus 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 Uie goal of Douglas' Doug-las' ambition and the ultimate object of the Lincoln-Douglas debate. Douglas' Patriotism. It Is a touching incident and happily illustrates the patriotism that inspired both of these statesmen, widely as they differed in political policy and keen as had been their rivalry, just as soon as the life of the republic was HODGENVILLE STATUE t , i ! KJ - ' y--v Wotk cf ttie Weil-Known Niw York Sculpto.-, Adoiph Weinman. menaced they Joined hands to shield and save the country they both loved. When Abraham Lincoln walked out to the east steps of the, capitol to deliver his inaugural address and take the oath of oltiee as President of the United States facing a peat crowd of people, among whom were man' who would gladly have takrn his life the man who accompanied him and who Hi ml close by his side, the man who iviis the first to take his hand nnd pledge his unqualified support in the great task Lincoln hail assumed as Prescient of a instructed country, was Senator Stephen A. Douglas. Unfortunately Un-fortunately for the country, Douglas died a few months later June .". ISill and 'he cause of the Union and support sup-port of the administration was deprived de-prived of his great influence. In response to Invitations 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 nnd great crowds 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 able 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, 1861, 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 friends and neighbors had gathered at the dingy little railroad station at Springfield to bid him good-by. good-by. It was a cloudy, stormy morning, morn-ing, which served to add gloom and depression to their spirits. The leave taking became a scens 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 silent 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 President-elect and his party had entered. en-tered. Then came the central incident inci-dent of tlte morning. Once more the bell gave notice of starting, but the conductor paused with his hand lifted to the bell rope. Mr. Lincoln appeared ap-peared on the platform of the car and raised his hand to command attention. The bystanders bared their heads to the falling snowflakes and standing thus his neighbors heard his voice for the last time in the city of his home." May Have Foreseen Fate. Lincoln's farewell address to his Springfield neighbors is expressed In words so chaste and pathetic that it reads as If he already felt the tragic shadow of forecasting fate. "No one," he said, "can realize the sadness I feel at this parting. I now leave, not knowing know-ing when or whether ever I may return. re-turn. I go to assume a ta.-k more difficult dif-ficult than any that has devolved upon any chief executive since Washington. Without the assistance of that Divine I'.eing who ever attended him I cannot succeed with that assistance I cannot can-not fail. Trusting In Him who can go with me and remain with you. and bj everywhere for good, let us confidently confident-ly hope that all will be well. To Hi? care T commend you. as 1 hope In your prayers you will commend me. I ler.i you an affectionate farewell." And "a" he waved his hand in farewell to the old home, to which he was never to return, the fervent rekponse from many of his old friends. "God bless and keep you; tlod protect you." They wore "sorrowing most cf nil fr the vords he spake," impressed with a feeling that they would ee Ms face no more. |
