The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1858-08-21
Speech of Hon. Abraham Lincoln.

FELLOW CITIZENS :--Another election,
which is deemed an important one, is ap-
preaching, and, as suppose, the Republican
party will, without much difficulty, elect
their State ticket. But in regard to the
Legislature, we, the Republicans, labor
under some disadvantages. In the first
an apportionment of the representation
made several years ago, when theproportion
of the population was far greater in the
South Gas compared with the Norh) than it
now is and inasmuch as our opponents hold
almost entire sway in the South, and we a
corresponding large ajority in the North,
the fact that we are now to be represented
as we were years ago, when the population
was different, is to US avery great disadvan-
tage. We had, in the year 1855, according
to law, a census or an enumeration of the in
habitants, taken for the purpose Of new ap-
portionment of representation. We know
what fair pportlonment of representation
upon that census would give US. We know
that it could not if fairly made, fail to give
the Republican party from six to ten more
members of the Legislature than they can
probably get as the law now stands. 1t so
happened at tle last session of the Leglsla-
ture, that our opponents, holding the con-
troll of both branches of the legislature,
steadily refused to give us such nm appor-
tionment as we We're rightfuly entitled to
have upon the census already taken. The
Legislature would pass no bilIupon that
subject, except such US WIS nj least as un-
fair to us as the old one, and in which, in
some instances two men in the Democratic
all In ra1j IN E. I'D
sending member to the Legislature as three
were in .thc Republican regions. Compare
son wus made at the time us to rcpres sentative
and senatorial districts, which completely
demonstrated that such was the fact. Such
bill was passed, and rendered to the Re-
publican Governor for his signature but
principally for the reasons have stated,
he withheld his approval, and the bill fell
without becoming law.
Another disadvantage under which we
labor is. that there are one or two Demo-
cratic Senators who will be members of the
next Legislature. and will vote for the cleo
ton of Senator, who are holding over in
which we could, on all reasonable calcula-
ton, elect men of our own, if we only had
the chance Of an election. When We con-
slider that there are but twenty-five Senators
in the Senate, taking two from the side
where they rightfuIIy belong and adding
them to the other, is to us disadvantage
not to be lightly regarded. Still, SO it is;
We have this to contend with. Perhaps
there is no ground of complaint on our part.
In attending to the many things involving
in the last general election for President,
Governor, Auditor, Treasurer, Superlntend-
ent of Public Instructions, Members Of
Congress, Of the Legislature, County officers,
and so on, we allowed these things to hap
pen by want of sufficient attention, and We
have no cause to complain of our adversa-
ries, so far as this matter is concerned.-
But we have some cause to complain Of
the refusal to give us u fair apportion-
ment.
There is still another disadvantage under
which we labor, and to which ask your
attention. 1t arises out Of the relative po-
stions Of the two persons who stand before
the State as candidates for the Senate
Senator Doug las is of worldwide renown.
All the anxious politicians of his party, or
who have been of his party for years past,
have been looking upon him as certainly,
at no distant day, to be the President of
the United States. They have seen in his
round, jolly, fruitful face, post Offices, land
Offices, marshalships, and cabinet appoint
ments, chargeships and foreign, missions,
bursting and sprouting out in exuberance
ready to be laid hold of by their greedy hands.
Great laughtcr]. And as they have been
gazing upon this attractive picture so long,
they cannot, in the little distraction that has
taken place in the party, bring themselves
to quite give up the charming hope; but
with greedier anxiety they rush about him,
sustain him, and give him marches triumphal
entries, and receptions beyond what even in
the days of his highest prosperity they could
have brought about in his favor. On the
contrary nobody ever expected me to be
President. In my poor, lean, lank face,
nobody ever seen that any cabbages were
sprouting out. Tremendous cheering and
laughter These are disadvantages, all
taken together, that the Republicans labor
under. We have to fight this battle upon
principle, and upon principle alone. am,
in a certain sense, made the standard bearer
in behalf of tho Republicans. was made
so merely because there had to be some one
so plaeed-I being, in no wise, preferable
to any other one of the twenty-fftv-per-
haps hundred we have in the Republican
ranks. Then say want it to be distinctly
understood and borne in mind, that we have
to fight this battle without manv-perhaps
without any-of the external aids which
are brought against US. SO hope those
with whom am surrounded have principle
enough to nerve themselves for the task
and leave nothing uudone, that can be
fairly done, to bring about the right re-
suit.
After Senator Douglas left Washington,
as his movements were made known by the
public prints, he tarried considerable time
IN the city of New York and it was herald
ed that, like another Napoleon, he was lying
by, and framing the plan of his campaisn.-
1t was telegraphed to Washington City, and
published in the Union that hewas LAYING
this plan for the purpose of going to Illinois
to pounce upon and annihilate the treason
able and disanion speech which Lincoln had
made here on the 10th of June. Now /
do suppose that the Judge really spent
some time in New York in maturing the
plan Of the campaign, as his friends her.
aided for him. l have been able, noting
his movements since his arrival in Illinois,
10 discover evidences confrmatory of that
allegation. | think | have been able to