The Sun.
London, England, 1867-09-09 00:00:00

was, however, humane, and had a strong sense of
duty—qualities that Douglas did not seem to com-
prehend, yet they proved more than a match for the
talents of Douglas with all their brilliance, and for
his wits with all their sharpness.
On entering upon his political life Lincoln united
with the Whig party, which contained a number of
conscientious men ; but it was immensely outnum-
bered by the Democratic party, of which Douglas
became a member. Lincoln was a closer student
than Douglas; while the former pursued his know-
ledge of the law in his library, the latter pursued
his knowledge of political parties, not among lawyers,
but among liquor-sellers. The one became a
master of low principles, the other became a master
in the management of party machinery. Lincoln
imbibed the principles of the Western Citizen, the
anti-slavery paper of the West, which he read regu-
larly, a paper that declared the identity of the prin-
ciples of the Declaration of Independence in 1776
with those of the anti-slavery reform. The one de-
clared all men were free and equal, and the other
declared that the slaves were men, and therefore
had a right to liberty. The Western Citizen con-
tended that slavery was an incubus resting on all
the energies of the people, and the nation must sink
under it, or rise by carrying out the principles of
1776 and emancipating the slaves ; and Mr. Lin-
coln declared that the States could not endure half
free and half slave—that liberty or slavery must
pervade the entire nation. He was the determined
foe of the extension of slavery. If for this the State
honoured him with office, well and good ; if it did
not, he valued principle more than office, and
should be content. Douglas, however, would not
touch the anti-slavery principles with one of his
fingers. He was determined to be President, and
knew that if it were ever suspected at the South
that he constantly received and read an anti-slavery
newspaper he would not receive a vote from any
slave State.

In the large assemblies that listened to the debate
of Lincoln and Douglas, there were but few who
were natives of Illinois. It was a new State, and
its residents had come from every State in the
Union, and from nearly all the nations of Europe,
seeking cheap bread, or cheap land, or greater reli-
gious or political liberty. Lincoln appealed to their
sense of right ; Douglas to their prejudices. The
latter regarded the people as the raw material which
he designed by dexterous manipulation to increase
into the Democratic party, or as raw recruits to be
formed into platoons and brigades to be commanded
by himself. Hence, to suit the pro-slavery Southerner, li
he became a slaveholder ; to the Irish he denounced
England's policy and Government ; to the free-
trader he was the foe of the tariff ; he plunged upon
the prejudices of classes, and complexions, and
national antipathies, as a skilful performer plays
upon his accustomed instrument. Lincoln was
friendly to the coloured people, he was the resistant
of slavery exertion, and the advocate of fraternity
between England and America—a policy which he
pursued when he became President.
Such were the men, such their principles. But
what of the result ? Just as the prize for which
Douglas had laboured was falling into his hands,
the slaveholders struck it aside, and it fell into the
hands of Lincoln. Douglas valued himself on his
ability to read men, but he never fathomed the
designs of the slaveholders. He trusted in them,
and found, too late, that he had leaned on a reed
which pierced his hand.
The Democratic party could make whom it would
President ; such was its power, and it was united
in the choice of Douglas. This party was con-
trolled by the slaveholders, and they viewed with
alarm the progress of the anti-slavery reform in the
North. So rapidly was it changing public opinion
that if the Union continued slavery would every-
where become disreputable, and be abolished by
law. To guard against this result they determined
to dissolve the union of the States. If Lincoln
should be elected President, it would furnish the
pretext for the dissolution ; and if the Democratic
party should be divided, it would secure the election
of Lincoln. This Flan was, therefore, adopted.
Two candidates were nominated for the Presidency
by the Democrats—Douglas, who said that the
people of a territory could ex^,lude slavery ; Breck-
enridge, who denied them this power. Such was
the ground of difference. The vote of the Demo-
crats was divided between them, the party was
weakened, the Republicans prevailed, and Lincoln
was elected. Bitter was the disappointment of
Douglas, for he lost the object of his life labours.
As Senator, his honours were soon surrendered, for
his health failed him. Ile felt, however, that there
was one duty to be performed before his earthly
labours closed, and that he did. Ten thousand
people assembled in the large temporary building
in Chicago, where Lincoln was nominated for the
Presidency, to hear Douglas relate and review his
political life. He depicted his unwearied efforts to
strengthen the slave power, hoping for a reward in
the nomination for the Presidency ; and then de-
scribed the ungratefulness and treachery of the
slaveholders. He had aided them to promote their
designs, and now they had cast him aside as an
instrument of no further use, that they might ruin
the nation and protect slavery. Then with all his
power he urged them to support Lincoln, and to
consecrate to the preservation of the Union their
property, lives, and sacred honour. Virtually this
was his dying appeal. He returned to his house,
which he never left till he was borne to the grave.
Because of this speech the people forgave him his
pro-slavery conduct, and the hands of Lincoln
were strengthened throughout the North. Thus
Douglas, who would have rivetted the fet-
ters of the slave, was excluded from the
highest office, and thus Lincoln obtained it. Hav-
ing come into power with an anti-slavery pur-
pose, Lincoln, in the course of his administration,
resolved that should the opportunity present itself
he would emancipate the slaves. This vow he re-
corded in the presence of God. The opportunity
came, and Lincoln fulfilled his vow, knowing that
in doing so he imperilled his own life. The slaves
were set free, and soon afterwards Lincoln fell a
martyr. In Illinois there are four graves of
special interest—those of Lovejoy, Lundy, Dougl as,
and Lincoln. The first anti-slavery martyr, the
anti-slavery pioneer, the pro-slavery Senator,
and the President martyr. When Lovejoy was
slain, Lundy entered into his labours, and by him
and his co-labourers the public mind in the West
was prepared to elect Lincoln to the Presidency ;
and by the writings of Lundy and his successor the
mind of Lincoln was imbued with anti-slavery
principles. To the appeals in behalf of these
principles Douglas turned a deaf car, though they
came from the grave of Lovejoy—from the pulpit
of his brother in Illinois, Owen Lovejoy—from the
press of Lundy and his successor—and from Lin-
coln in the debate. He was running a race, and
feared that if he paused to pity the slave he might
miss the prize. But the race is not always to the
swift, and he did miss the prize. Lincoln paused in
the race, pitied the slave, and gained fresh power,
and won the prize. Every passing day witnesses
the new hopes and the high purposes cherished in
the hearts of millions of American citizens, the
existence of.which they gratefully trace to Lincoln,
the emancipator and martyr.—Yours very truly,
EDWARD MATHEWS.

PETROLEUM FUEL.—In the process of burning
petroleum for steam fuel, a small quantity of the surplus
steam, after passing through a superheater, is intro-
duced at the same time with the oil, and is found
to add greatly to the intensity and volume of the
flame. It is claimed that this steam is introduced in a
semi-decomposed state—that is, with the affinity between
the oxygen and hydrogen, of which it is composed, so
weakened, thiti, when introduced directly within the flame
of the- oil it burns rapidly, without any appreciable ex-
traction of heat from that produced by the burning oil.
In fact, when so presented, the re-union of the oxygen
and hydrogen is so rapid that a great increase of heat
is produced in the flame. Tho superheating is accom-
plished by waste heat, or heat which could not
otherwise be brought to bear upon the water surfaces of
the boiler. Tho problem of burning water, which has
heretofore been pronounced an absurdity, so far as any
practical advantage can be derived therefrom may be con-
cerned, appears to be, by this device, pretty effectually
and satisfactorily accomplished. At all events there is an
evident increase of steam production over and above that
employed under the furnace by this use of steam. The
fact appears to be patent, and scientists will evidently have
to admit and explain it.—Mining and Scientific Prod.