Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-08-31
Douglas and Lincoln.

These gentlemen met III debate on the 21st
inst, at Ottawa, some twelve thousand per-
IONS being present. The following, from
Douglas sketch of himself, and Of his oppo-
nent, will amuse our readers:
In the remarks which | have made upon
this platform, and the position of Mr.. Lincoln
upon it, | mean nothing personal, disrespect-
full or unkind to that gentleman. | have
known him for nearly twenty-five years. We
had many points of sympathy when L first
got acquainted with him We were both tn CON- gR
erty in a strange town for our support. | an
humble school-teacher in the town of Vim
chester, and he lOurshing grocery-keeper
in the town of Salem. GLaughter.l He was
more successful i'll occupation than |. and
hence became more fortunate in this worlds
goods. Mr.. Lincoln Ii one of those peculiar
men that has performed with admirable skill
in every occupation that he ever attempted.
/ made as good u schOOl-teacher as | could,
and when cabinet-maker made the best
bedsteads and tables but my old boss said
succeeded better in bureaus and secretaries
than in anything else. [Laughter.1 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
sympathy for him, because Of the up hill
teri He was then good at telling an anec-
dote as now. He could beat any of the boys
at wrestling-cOuld outrun them at foot
race-beat them at pitching quoits and toss
ing a copper, and could win more liquor than
all the boys put together, Laughter and
che .rsl; and the dignity and impaItiality with
which he presided ut a horse-race or fist
fight were the praise of everybody that was
present and participated. (Renewed laugh
4 bod SWIM hui. .fh lin In.
cause he was struggling with misfortune and
so was l.
Mr.. Lincoln served with me, or with him,
in the legislature of 1886, when we parted
He subsidized or submerged for some years, and
/ lost sight of him. In 1916, when Wilmot
raised the Wilmot Proyiso tornado, Mr.. Lin
coin again turned up as a member of Con-
gress from Sangamon District. j, being in
the Senate of the United States, was called To
welcome him, then without friend and COM
panion. He then distinguished himself by
his opposition TO the Mexican war, taking the
side of the common enemy, In time of war,
against his own country. (Cheers and groans.l
When he returned home from that Congress,
he found that the Indignation Of the people
followed him everywhere, until he again re-
tired to private life, and was submerged until
he was forgotten again by his friends. He
came up again in 1854. in time to make the
Abolition-Black Republican platform, in com
pany with Lovejoy, Giddings, Chase and Fred.
Douglas for the Republican party to stand
upon. Trumbull, too, was one of our own
contemporaries. He was born aud raised in
old Connecticut. Bred Federalist, he re-
moved to Georgia, aud there turned nullifer,
W en- notification was popular. But rs soon
as he disposed of his clocks and wound up his
business, he emigrated To Illinois. When he
got here, having turned politician and law
yer. he made his appearance in Si0-4l as n
member of the legislature, and became noted
as the author Of n scheme To repudiate large
portion of the State debt OF Illinois. aud thus
bring infamy aud disgrace upon the fair |
escutcheon of our glorious State. The odium
attached TO that measure consigned him To |
oblivion for time. | walked iuto the House |
of Representatives and replied to his repudis.-
ton speeches until We carried resolutions over
his head denouncing population, and assert
ing the moral aud legal obligation Of Illinois
To pay every dollar OF debt she owed-eyery
boud bearing her signature. Trumbull's ma
Lightly towards me arises out Of the fact that
defeated his infamous scheme to repudiate
the State debt and State bonds of Illinois.