The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1858-08-07
The Challenge.
Letter from Lincoln to Douglas and Doug
las Reply-An Arrangement Effected.
SPRINGFIELD, July 90, 1858.

las Reply-An Arrangement Effected.
SPRINGFIELD, July 30, 1858.
Hon. S. A. DoUGLAs-Dear .Sir:-Yours
of the oath, in relation to an arrangement
to divide time and address the same audi
ences, is received, and in apology for not
sooner replying, allow me to say that when
sat by you at dinner yesterday l was no.
aware that you had answered my note, nor
certainly that my own note had been pre-
scented 10 you. An hour after, | saw a copy
of your answer in the Chicago Times; and
returning IA, me, | found the original await
ing me.
Protesting that your insinustions Of at
tempted uniairncss on my part are unjust,
and with the hope that you did not very
CONSIDERABLY make them. | proceed to re-
ply. To your statement that "lt has been
suggested recently that an arrangement had
been made to briug out thild candidate for
the U. S. Senate, who, with yourself, >hou!d
canvass the State in oppositien TO ms" &c,
can only Say that such suggestion must
have been made by yourself, for certainly
none such has tecn made by, or to me, or
otherwise, to my knowledge. Surely, you
did not deliberately conclude, as you inSinu-
ate, that | was expecting to draw you into
an arrangement OF terms, TO be agreed on
by yourself, by which third candidate and
myself, :" in concert, might be- able to take
the opening and closing speech in every
case
As to your surprise that did not sooner
make the proposal to divide time with yeu,
can only say that | made it as soon as 1
resolved 10 make it. | did not know but
tina, such proposal would come from you
| waited respectfully TO see. Ii may have
, been well known TO you that you went 10
| Springfield for the purpose ct agreeing on
the plan Of campaign, but it was not ;
known to me. When your appointments
were announced in the papers, extend, az
! only to the 2l>t of August, ] Tor the first
tine considered it certain that you would
make no proposal to me; ana then resolved
! that If my friends concuTred, | would make
one 10 ycu. AS soon thereafier as | cou.t
! see and consult with friends satisfactorily,
/ did make the proposal. Ii did not occur to
me that the proposed arrangement couic
/ damage your plan, after The latest OF YOU
/ appointments already made. After that
! there was before the election, largely ovel
TWO months Of clear time.
/ For you TO say that ". have already spo
] ken at Chicago and Springfield, and that OF
both occasions had the cOneiutn. speech
t Is hardly = lar statement he tiutH, IA
( Their, is this: at Chicago, July Q, you mad
a carefully prepared co"cins.oH on my spcec'
OF June IL twenty-foui hours after | mad
hasty coaciusiOt on yours Of the 9th ; y"r
had six days To prepare, aud coHc(aaed OF
the again at Bloomington on the 18Th
twenty four hours after | c0Hcj !de3 on yol
again at Springfield. In the meantime yG
had made another conclusion on me a
Springfield, which did not hear, and OF IT,
contents Of which | knew nothing when
spoke 50 that your speech made Al day
light, and mine at night, Of the 18th, a
Sprin. field, were both made Ia perfect iLdt
pendence Of each other. the dates OF max
ing al these speeches viii show, thli'h
that in the matter of time for prepafatio
tie advantage has all been on your side, al
that none Of the external circumstances haT
stood TO my advantage.
agree to an arrangement for US To spea
a, the seven places you have named, aud a
your own times, provided you name III
times at once, SO that |, as well a. you, ca
have 20 myself the time not covered 10y III
arrangement. ~ TO other details, | WIS
perfect reciprocity, and no more. / wish 4
much time as you, and that conclusion
shall alternate, that is all.
Your ot.d.yut servant,
lITCOIS