Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1860-06-14

two 0eAly pOuuO copies VI luS tSP SatS0
debates between Lincoln and Douglas,
during their canvass for the Q. S. SeRa-
torship from Illinois, in 1858. These de-
bates cover 26s pages duOdecimO, average
pint, and are as full of political infOsma-
ton as an egg is full of meat
The FIRST joint debate between these re-
doubtabIe champions occurred at Ottawa;
the second at Freeport; the third at Jones'
boro'; the fourth at Charleston: the fifth
at Galesburg; the sixth ct Quincy, and the
seventh and last at Al.on-thus covering
big stretch of territory and running
through nearly two months of time.
at the rate of one debate a week
There never was IN this country poiit.
ical engagement like the one between Lin
coin and Douglas. 1t was unusual for
two such men, two such Titaus, to enconn-
ter each other o1 the stump, and it was
unprecedented that two men, or one man,
for that matter, should canvass tue State
on behalf of an Office not elective by the
people, thus assuming in advance the can
didacy at the hands of the forthcoming
! intermediate electors, who might, or might
! not recognize their claims, inst as it hap
pened. The novel spectacle of such a
canvass was at first quite causticallr criti-
cised by several of the papers-but public
opinion over-rodc all criticism, held up the
! hands of the two champions, and with one
voice the people from all over the country
sa:d,,"go in lemons"-we are keen to..see
fight of the sort. Public curiosity from
the first to the last of this canvass, was
on tip-toe. The friends of Douglas in
Illinois and elsewhere. were consumed
with anxiety on his account In the re-
suit were the issues of life and death for
him and his numerous troupe of expect
ants and hangers on. They knew that
if he died he should not live again
He had been discarded by the Southern
wing of toe Democratic party-degraded
from his leadership-denied his patronage
by the Administration, and generally and
specifically pronounced hereto by the
orthodoxists. He had now to conquer
position. He must come back with Illinois
. ut his back, or he was gone up hoPelessly
andforeYcr. With Illinois he had a chance
for his old or better place in the party
and without her he was dead cock in the
pit, either for the Presidency or anything
else. That's the way the matter stood
with Douglas and his friends, and that's
the reason why, on that side of the house,
there was such a nervous anxiety about
these debates.
/ On the other side, the Republicans of
Illinois had made up their minds that it was
about time they were possessing them
selves of the power of the State in the
/ Federal Councils, which, just then, being
at n tie in the Senate and at tie in the
House, could not be said to indicate either
! flesh or FISH rs to the sentiment of Illi-
nois. And now the question was, who
was there in all the land that could
slay Douglas and the 'Dauites." Every
body said "Old Abe" lie was the war
horse of the Opposition. And as such
3! he was walked out into the arena.
The very first symptom of an en-
counter with Lincoln sent chill through
Douglas, as is shown by the correspon-
dence. He wanted all the advantages and
Lincoln inthe rough strength and magma
nimfty of his nature and his intellect, lethim
settle the preliminaries to suit himself
And so Douglas appointed the times, the
terms and the places of debate. The pre-
liminaries being settled, then came the
war of the giants. Douglas bad the open
ing speech and he thus introduced Loncoln
to his audience:
have known him for nearly twenty-five
years. There were many points OF sym
pathy between us when we first got ac-
quainted. We were both comparatively
boys. and both struggling with poverty in
strange land. l was a school-tcacher in
the town of Winchester, and he aonIish-
ing grOCery-keepcr in the town of Salem.
He was more successful in his occupation
than l was in mine, and hence more for
tunate in this worlds goods. Lincoln is
one of those peculiar men who perform
with admirable skill everything which
they undertake. made as good school
teacher as l could, and when u cabinet
maker made good hedstead and tables.
although my old boss said succeeded bet
ter with bureaus and secretaries than with
anything else: but | believe that Lincoln
WAS always more successful in business
than 1, for his business enabled him TO
get into the Legislature. l met him there,
however, and had a sympathy with him,
because of the uphill struggle We both
had in life. He was then just as good at
telling an anccdote as now. He conld
beat any of the boys wrestling, or running
a foot-race, in pitching quoits or tossing a
copper; could ruin more liquor than all the
boys of the town together, and the digni-
ty and importialty with which he presided
admiration and won the praise of every
body that was present and participated. l
sympathiscd with him, because he was