Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1858-09-02
THE CAMPAIGN IN ILLINOIS
DOUGLAS AND LINCOLN AT
OTTA WA.
From An Occasional Correspondent.
MORRIS, Ills, Aug. 81, 1858.

From An Occasional Correspondent
MORRIS, Ills, Aug. 81, 1858.
Editor Belmont Chronicle:
DEAR SiR-t have just returned from
the great debate between the Hon. s. A
Douglas and the Hon. Abraham Lincoln
at Ottawa, and it has made so deep an i'm.
preston on my own mind-it has so thor.
ougnly aroused me TO sense of the i'm
portance OF the political contest now be.
ing waged in the country, that cannot re-
frain from seeking to give expression
through The CHRbNIcLE to some of the
feelings awakenef within me. to my ole
friends and nefgbBors of Belmont.
This was the first time that these two
champions for the United States Senate
have met each other on the stump, and il
is needless to say that the event was look
ed forward 10 with absorbing interest by
the political friends of both. TIE crowG
| was immense, numbering perhaps not less
than fifteen thousand persons. Mr.. Doug.
las opened the discussion in speech char.
acterized by low appeal to the vulgar
prejudices of MS hearers, charging the Re.
pub bican party with being "nigger wor.
shippers" of tavoring "nigger equality
ANA gamaton" &c, which disgusted many
of his warmest friends. Lincoln then fol.
lowed in one Of the most clear, forcible
and logical speeches, elevated in tone
courteous and gentlemanly, and yet a:
searching and singing in its rebukes of his
opponents political course as it was posi-.
5le to be. He showed up the Popular Sow.
ereignty humbug, and its utter inconsist.
ency with Dred Scottish, both of which
Mr.. Douglas processes to endorse, in the
most convincing light. He repeated the
charge that Douglas was chief corspra-
tor in the attempt to force Slavery into
Kansas and all the Territories, which he
now processes to rePudiate, and proved the
charge by an array of facts and arguments
| from the conclusions of which there was
no escape, and concluded by an appeal in
behalf of constitutional freedom, which, for
genuine eloquence, never heard equalIed
by any living trator. The effort was re-
garded by every Republican present us a
most complete triumph and vindication o
Republican principles, and filled them with
the widest enthusiasm. When Lincoln
left the stand, after the contest was over
the Republicans gathered around him. and
amid the most tunultuous cheering carried
him in triumphal procession on their
shoulders, high above the crowd, a distance
of several squares, to the residence of tho
Mayor of the city.
Every sentence uttered by Mr.. Lincoln
was tentre shot, and went kissing hot to
the very heart Of his opponents nosition
Mr.. Douglas had half hour to close, and
when Lincoln was through and the cheers
and enthusiasm Of the Republican portion
of the audience mad somewhat suosided, he
rose in towering passion, seemed to lose
all command of himself, and in fact con-
Quoted himself like perfect madman. lie
consumed all his time in reply in TRADE
of the lowest and most scurrilous personal
abuse and billingsgate. The only reply
attempted to l. ncoln's facts and arguments
was the choice language, frequently re-
peated, sit rs an infamous lie," ] cannot
but believe that the Doug lasites present.
who pretended at all to decency, must have
been thoroughly disgusted with their cham
pion.
Douglas is undoubtedly man of lent,
but in intellectual force Lincoln is alto
gether his peer, and in logical. high-toned
talent and craftsmanship, Lincoln is far
his superior. 1t is no small compliment to
the man that the whole Republican party
of this State, with entire unanimi,y and
with one accord. should have turned to him
as the successor of Douglas. Our Repub-
lican brethren in the East, who have con-
demned our course in putting forward Lin
coin, and who counselIed a conciliatory
policy toward Mr. Dougl,s, will yet, if
they have not already, come to acknowl-
edge that we were wise in this. We know
Douglas treachery toe well, we know too
well his true position, and the motives
which actuate him, to place the Lease con-
fdence in him. He is now throwing off
the mask and is verifying to the country
all we said of him.
We shall elect Abraham Lincoln to the
United States Senate next winter. That
is fixed fact. He is gaining ground every
day, while Douglas is losing, and 1t is the
consciousness of this fact that is the prin-
c;pal cause 0rfhe latter SO losing bis tenn
per. The saying CT the ancicnts that
Whom the gods wish to destroy they frs,
make mad," is being literally verified in
the case Of Stephen Arnold Douglas. His
madness, too, only hastens his destruction.
With Abraham Lincoln and Lyman
Trumbull in the Senate, Illinois will indeed
have reason to be proud, and her influence
in the National Councils will be second to
no other State Of the Union. J. w. N.