The Nevada journal., 1858-12-10
J5e Nebaoa yoarnal|

las and Lincoln, at Alton, Illinois, on
the occasion of their last meeting of the
canvass. 1t is not such debate as we
expected from the reputation of one of
the parties. The meanness of politics
sticks out not onl y in the language used
in debate, but in the remarks of the
Chicago Times upon it. The copy
before us is Douglas campaign docu-
ment, taken from a verbatinl report for
the Times, and printed by Lemuel Tow
ers, of Washington, for circulation, and
is designed for the glorifcation Of Doug
las. The people of Illinois are ear
nestly entreated in a few preliminary
remarks TO "read and be convinced"
The document may have been de-
signed for the illiterate districts of H.
linois. If so. it doubtless had the de-
sired effect. The persons into whose
hands it mostly fell. probably did not
discover the miserable clap-trap.
Mr.. Douglas is made to fill his hour
out easily, as undoubtedly he did
When Mr.. Lincoln finishes his part of
the controversy, it is said of him that he
ran down before his hour was up bv
several minutes. The Illinois readers
of the debate may not have discovered
that in this rerbatim report Mr.. Doug
las got off but scant eight pages and
half of matter, while Mr. Lincoln in his
short hour pronounced twelve pages
plump of the same matter! Douglas is
reputed to be fast talker; Lincoln
however, beats him, according to this
Douglas document three words to two.
1t is not the quantity but quality of
the language that tells in a debate
We only mention the excess of words
used by Lincoln because the reporter Of
the debate attempts to create the i'm
preston that Lincoln broke down before
he had exhausted his allotted time.
Douglas lays great stress upon the
refusal of Lincoln to answer categori-
cally, whether he would or would not.
were he in Congress, vote for the ad-
mission of Kansas with a slave clause in
her constitution. Before the crowd adj
dressed Douglas evidently made point
on his antagonist here In leading off
he told the people he had propounded
the query to Lincoln, several times, but
that he was silent as death.
The trouble was, the Republicans in
The northern part of Illinois were too ul-
ira; or, as Josh. Haven of Buffalo,
would say, they "cut it little too deep"
Lincoln could not say directly he would
vote for the admission Of a State with
slavery sanctioned in her Constitution
without losing strength with these ultras,
though he virtually admits he would in
declaring his creed Not, however, so
as to be discovered by the rabble, as
Douglas well knew and availed himself
of the'opportunity to make capital out
of it.
This Douglas document it seems to us,
would be fatal to its purpose in the pos
session of logical men. Saving the want
of frankness in the one instance, Lin
coin has the best of the argument, clear
thl ough. He fairly meets Mr.. Douglas
and refutes his assumed positions in a
most unequivocal manner. In the hands
of a more able debater than Douglas.
the case might have been different. But
at Alton, Lincoln was more than match
for his antagonist in pure, logical argu-
ment.
But in whatever Douglas failed in his
opening speech he more than made up
in the unbridled licence of his half hour
reply. For statesman and debater of
reputation, it is the most astonishing
speech on record. Douglas either had
a most contemplate opinion of the in
tellectual capacity and attainments of
his hearers, or he must have been drunk
on the occasion of its utterance. Truth,
history and courtesy are set at defiance.
We give specimen: when the Mex
lean war was beine ged, and the
American army surrounded by the enc
my in Mexico, he thought that war was
unconstitutional, unnecessary, and un-
just. He thought it was not commenced
on the right spot When J made an i'll
cidental allusion Of that kind in the joint
discussion over at Charleston, some
weeks ago, Lincoln, in replying. said
that l. Douglas. had charged him with
voting against supplies for the Mexican
war, and then he reared up, full length,
and swore that he never voted against
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