Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1858-08-28


DOUGLAS AND LINCOLN AT OTTAwA-P Personal
Reminiscence- 8Iessrs- Douglas and Lincoln
had grand tilt atOttawa, H., last week.
Mr. Douglas speech contained this amusing
passage
In the remarks which 1 have made upon this
platform, and the position of Mr.. Lincoln upon
it, / mean nothing personal, disrespectful Drum
kind to that gentleman. have known him for
nearly twenty-five years. We had many points
of sympathy when first got acquainted with
him. We were both comparatively boys-both
struggling with poverty in a strange town for
our support. Ian humble school teacher in
the town of. Winchester, and he q Furnishing
grocery keeper IN the town of Salem. THaugh-
ter. lie was more successful in his occupati6n
than ], and hence became more fortunate in
this worlds goods. Mr.. Lincoln is one of those
peculiar men that has performed with admirable
skill in every occupation that he ever attempted.
made as good a school teacher as could, and
when cabinet-maker made the best bead.
steads and tables but my old boss said sue
ceeded better in bureaus and secretaries than
in anything else. [haughter.l But believe
that Mr.. Lincoln was more successful in his
business than /, for his business soon carried
him directly into the Legislature. There met
him in a little time, and had a sympathy for
him, because of the uphill struggle we had in
life LCheers and laughter.l He was then as
good at telling an anecdote as now. He could
beat any of the boys ut wrestling could out
run them at foot-race-beat them all pitching
quoits aud tossinga copper, and could win more
liquor than allthe boys put together; Daughter
and cheers;) and the dignity and impartiality
with which he presided at horse-race or fist
fight were the praise of every body that was pre-
sent and participated. Renewed laughter. l.
Hence had sympathy for him, because he
was struggling with misfortune and so was l. 4
Mr.. Lincoln served with me, or. / with him,
in the Legislature of 1886, when we parted
He subsidized or emerged for some years, and
lost sight of him. In 1916, when Mr.. Wilmot
again turned up as Member of Congress from
Sangamon District I, beinginthe Senate of the
United States, was called to welcome him, then
without friend and companion. He then distin-
guished himselfby his opposition to the Mexican
war, taking the side of the common, enemy in
time of war, against his own country TCheers
and groans. When he returned home from
that Congress, he found that the indignation of
the people followed him everywhere, until he
again retired to private life, and was submerged
until he was forgotten again by his friends He
came up again in 1861, in time to make the Alb
olition-Black Republican platform in company
with Lovejoy, Giddngs,.. Chase and Fred Doug
lass,for the Republican Party to stand upon
Irumbull, too, was one of orr own cotem-
poraries. He was one born and raised in old
Connecticut Bred Federalists he removed
to Georgia, and there turned Nullifier, when
Modification was popular But as soon Us he
disposed of his clocks and wound up his bust
ness, he emigrated to Illinois. When he got
here, having turned politician and lawyer, he
made his appearance in 1940-41 as a Member
of the Legislature, and became noted as the
author Of a scheme torepudiate large portion
of the State debt of Illinois, and thus bring in
fanny and disgrace upon the fair escutcheon of
our glorious State. The odium attached to that
measure consigned him to oblivion for a time
walked into the House of Representatives and
replied TO his Republication speeches until we car
ried resolutions over his head, deuouncing rcpul
diation, aud asserting the moral and lega-
obligation of Illinois to pay every dollar Of
debt she owed.,every bond bearing her sigma
ture. Trumbull's malignity toward me arises
out of the fact that l. defeated his Infamous
scheme to repudiate the State debt and State
bonds of Illinois. ttsI