The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1858-09-23
Douglas and Lincoln.
THEIR RESPECTIVE PLATFORMS.

1
since the foundation of the Government has
there been d cGinpaign which involved more
important principles and excited more gen.
ernl interest tHah. that now progressing in
Illinois, between Douglas and Lincoln All
eyes are turned to it as deciding in advance
the issues to be made, and the great battle
to be won in 1860.
At the first encounter Of these combatants
at Ottawa, Dobglas took occasion to make
Lincoln, who is the acknowledged embod.
ment Of Republicansm, define precisely his
principles on the issues Of the day, by pro.
pounding to him certain interrogatoties, and
which Mr.. Lincoln after two weeks refec.
tion and consultation, proceeded at Freeporl
to do. and to do in rting. AS the latest,
fullest, and clearest exposition of the Re-
! publican creed, we give ATr. Lincoln's
version verbatim.
REPUBLICAN PLATFORM FOR 1860.
Mr.. Lincoln said: l will now take up
the Judges interrogatories as find them
bropounded in the Chicago Times. l an.
swer them seriatim, and in order that there
may be no mistake about it, have copied
in writing the interrogatories, and also my
answers I'd therA. a.a
Question l. ii desire to know whether
Lincoln to-day stands ds he did in 1854,
in favor of the unconditional repeal of the
fugitive slave law!" fo which l answer:
L do not now nor netet did Stand in favor Of
the unconditional repeal OF the fugitive slave
lew. @pa agl to -iusr. .s,..
Question q. al desire hin IL attswht
whether he stands pledged to day, as he did
in 1854, against the admission of any more
slave States into the Union, even il the pee.
pie want them" do not now nor never
did stand pledged against the admission III
any more slave States into the Union.
Question 5. 81 want to know whether
he stands pledged against the admission of a
new State into the Union with such con-
stitution as they may see fit to make" l
answer | do not stand pledged against the
admission of the people of that State with
such constitution as they may see fit to
make. sa a.oq ~. ..., -.,...., -.
Question 4. 81 want to know whether
he stands to-day pledged to the abolition of
slavery in the District of Columbia" an.
swer | do not stand pleged to-day to the
abolition of slavery in the District Of CO.!
lhmbia (Confusion) a#e.
Question 5. II desire him to answer
whether he stands pledged to the prohibition
of the slave trade between the different
States" ] do not stand pledged to the pro-
hibtion of the slave trade Between the diff.
ferent States.
Question 6. 81 desire to know whether
he stands pledged to prohibit slavery in all
the territories of the United States, North
as well as Sotlth Of the Missouri Compro-
mise line" answer am impliedIy, il not
expressly, pledged to the belief in the right
and duty of Congress to prohibit slavery in
ali the United States tetritotie5:
Question 7. 81 desire him to answer
whether he is opposed to the acquisition Of
any more territory unless slavery is first pro-
hibited therein" answer am not gen.
orally opposed 10 the honest acquisition Of
territory, ahd in any given case would or
would not oppose such aquisition, according
as | might think such acquisition would or
would not aggravate the slavery question
among ourselves.
1t will BE seen that all the political dog.
t1as heretofore held by the Black Repdbli-
cans are above rent unced, save the 9th in
terrogatory, which repudiates in toto the
doctrine of Popular Sovereignty. Here is
the rock on which that party are bound to
split, the leudets TO save merging in the
Democratic party and lessening somewhat
their chances for the Presidency and the
control of the country, going for Congress-
ional interference in the domestic affairs oil
the Territories, while the rank and file who
care nothing about office, go for the peoples
rule. The New York Tribune, Times, and
other leading Republican journals, 60 with
the masses, and have already committed
themselves fully in favor of the Douglas
doctrine Of Popular Sovereignty. They are
shrewd enough to know that no political
party can win on any other principle, and
they are bound to take the peoples side in
such contest. --......... ~.
Lincolnj after thus frankly defining his
owl, position and that of the party he repre-
sents, put several interrogatories to Sena-
tor Douglas touching questions not yet full
ly and authoritatively defined by the Demo
cratic party, which the Judge instantly and
most emphatically answered from the stand
AS being the latest, and from one Of the
ablest expounders of the Democratic faith.
we give the Judges reply, which will no
doubt attract the attention of politicians and
the whole country ...-....
DEMO PLATFORM FOR go.
lam glad that at last have brought Mr..
Lincoln tothe conclusion that he had better
define his position on certain political ques-
tions to which called his attention at o.
tawa. He there showed no disposition, no
Iinclination IN answer thanv did no+ pra