The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1860-05-31

Wtig aud Republican ranks in the great West.
In lSl6 he was elected 10 Congress aud served
out his term, and would have been reelected.
had he not declined being a candidate lie
steadily and earnestly opposed the annexation OF
= Texas, and lObored with all his might it, behalf
OF the Wilmot Proviso In the National Con-
| vcution ot ISIS, of which he was II member he
advocated the nomination of Gen. Taylor. aud
sustained the nomination by an active canvass
in Illinois and Indiana.
From 1919 to 1891 Mr, Lincoln was engaged
assiduously in ;he practice OF his profession aud
} being deeply Immersed in business was beginning
; to lose his interest in politics, when the schem.
ing ambition aud groveling seldshuess of an
unscrupulouS aspirant 10 he Presidency brought
about the repeal ul the Missouri Compromise.
That act uf bdscncSs aud pcrGdy aroused the
Sleeping lion. and he prepared Tor new efforts.
} lie thew himself ut once into the contest that
followed, and fought tho battle of freedom on
the ground of his former conflicts i'll Illinois
, with more than his accustomed energy aud zeal
} Those who recollset the tremendous battle
fought in Illinois that year, will award to A bra.
ham Lincoln fully three .ourlhS of the ability
aud uuwcnrying labor which resulted in the
mighty victory which gave Illinois her first Re.
publican l., gslaturc and placed Lyman Trum
bull in the Senate of the United States. The
first aud greatest debate Of that year came of
between Lincoln AMI Douglas at Springl Id,
We remember the event as wildly as though it
trauspired yesterday, and in view OF the promi
IuenCe now given to the chief actor in that eX
citing event, 1t cannot fail to be interesting to
, ali.
2 The affair came or on the fourth day Of Octo.
bcr, 1851 The State Fair had been in progress
two days. aud the canita was full Of ulf manner
of men The Nebraska bill had been passed on
! the previous twenty second day # May. Mr..
Douglas had returned to Illinois to meet an out
! ragged constituency. He had made Iragmenta- e.
ry speech at Chicago, the people Alllng up each
4 hiatus in II peculiar and good humOred way. He
. called the people mob they called him row
t. dy. The - mob hud the best of il, both then
Z aud at the election which succeeded. The no
tosiey of all these events has stirred up he pol.
{ ics OF the State from bottom to top. liundreds
i OF politicians had met at Springfield expecting n
=, tournament OF an unusual character Douglas,
j. Breesc, Koerner Lincoln, rrumbul, Mdttersou.
i Yates, Codding, John Calhoun, lot the order of
Il the Candle BUx,) John NJ. Palmer, the whole
o house of the McConnrlls, Singleton, (Suown tc
y fame in the Momon War,) Tnos, l. Harris, and
, hostof others. Several spe ches we've made
& before ana several after, the passage between
Lincoln aud Dough- bat that was Justly held tC
d be the event of the season.
)r We do not remember whether challenge &c
ID debate passed between the fricn Is of the speak
ar er or not. bat there was perfectly amicahe un
p derstandng between Lincoln and Douglas, that
st tha former should speak two or thrac hours ant
at he latter reply in just as little as much tim,
r. as he chose. Mr.. Lincoln took the stand at tw,
10 o'clock-a large crowd in attendance, and Mr.
le Doug,s seated in on small platform in front o
re the desk. The first half,hour of Mr. Lincoln
ty speech was taken up with compliments to hi
rd distinguished friend Judge Douglas. and dry al
IN usiuus to the political events OF the past few
,l wears His distinguished hiend Judge Dougla
r. had taken his seat, as solemn as the Cock Lan
C ghost, evidently with the design of not moving
'e u muscle till it cam his turn to speak. Th
ce laughter provoked by Linooln's exordium, how
n. ever, soon began TO make HIM uneasy, aud whe
g. Mr.. l. arrived ut his douglas speech, pro
&, nouncng the Missouri Compromise Sacre
II. thing which no ruthless hand would ever b
S. reckless enough to disturb he opened his lip
lh far enough to remark, "a first rate speech p
rs This was the beginning OF IN amusing coloquy
z Yes, :" continued Lincoln, " so affactionat
i, was m, friends regard for this compromise lino
lis that when Texas was admitted into the Unior
;e and it was found that strip extended mort
lie Of 36 deg. 80 min, he actually introduced bill
,h extending the line aud prohibiting slavery il
hi the north edge of the new State"
&" Aud YOU voted against the bill, )" said Doug
IL las.
a. Precisely So" replied Lincoln; 81 was i
C. favor of running the line great deal JdrthC
- South"
H. about this time" the speaker continued
I'd "my distinguish I'd friend introduced me to
al particular Trend of his, one David WLmot, O
II Pcnusy lvanih.' Laughter
'f- IL thought" said Douglas you would fin
as !cna company
so I did" replied Lincoln. al had the pleas
i'm ure of voting Tor his Pro,iso, in one way all
n ano her about lorty times. 1t was "a Democrat
Vi. measure then, believe. At ANY rate Gen Gas
nd scolded Honest John DAVIS, of Massachusett,
r. soundly. for taking away the last hours Of tn
session that he (CasS) couldn't crowd It through
Apropos 10 Gen CAss; if am not greatly mlsll
lis ken be has "a prior claim to my disingnlshe
he friend tp ,ha authorship of popular Sovereign
&C. The oil General has an infrmiIy for writing LEI
Sc ters. Shortly after the scoIding he gave job
He Davis he wrote hi, Nicholson letter.
in Douglas (SoIemniy) iy)-"Gol Almighty place
re man on the earth, and told him to choose b'
as tween good and evil. That was tie origin
- the Nebraska bill !!
m Lincoln-"Well me priority ofinvention b.
Is ing settled, let US award all credit to JUDI
rs Douglas for brinl the first t discover it,"
er, II would he impossible, in these limits to gi'
- an iIel of the strength OF Mr.. Liucoln's arg
of ment. We deemed it by far the ablcst effort
&c the campagu--from whatever source. The o
ls casiun was great one, and the speaker wa
MS every wsy euuai to it, The effect produced O
nj tue listeners was magnetic. No one who wi
lY present will ever forget the power and yehemen'
te of the following passage;
Ily My distinguished friend says i is an insJ
N, 10 the emisrans OF Kansas and Nebraska
I'D suppose they are not able 10 govern themSeve
nd we mus not sIur over an argument OF this XII
N because it happens 10 tickle the cot 1t must
ily met and answered admit that the emigrd
ne to Kansas and Nebraska is competent 10 govel
tic himself, but" the speaker raising himself to b
FOL full height 'Ideay his right to gOoerE any 9th
nd, person WITHOUT THAT PERSONS CONSENT III
nj applause which followed this triumphant reint
ey tion of cunning fasehood, was but an earnp
ng of the victory at the polls which followed ju
c., one month from that day
'at When Mr.. Lincon had conclnded, Mr.. Dou
Ar I,e s,rnl. hastily 10 the stand A usual he n