Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1860-05-31

anu aDlllty. lie was an aft,ent lrlenu Oh
Henry Clay, and cxerted himself power
fully in his behalf in 1874, traversing the
entire State of Illinois, and addressing
public meetings daily until near the close
of the campaign when becoming convinc-
ed that his labors in that field would be
unavailing, he crossed over into Indiana,
and continued his efforts up to the day Of
election. The contest of that year was
mainly on the tariff question. Mr.. Lin
coin on the Whig side, and John Calhoun.
on the Democratic side, were the heads of
the opposing electoral tickets. Calhoun.
late of Nebraska. now dead, was then in
the full.vigor of his powers. and was ac-
counted the ablest debater of his party
They stumped the State together, or near
ly so, making speeches usually on alternate
days at each place, and each addressing
large audiences at great length. sometimes
four hours together. Mr.. Lincoln, in these
elaborate speeches, evinced thorough
mastery of the principles of political econ
omy which underlie the tariff question.
and presented arguments in favor of the
protective policy with power and con-
clusiveness rarely equal. and at the same
time in manner so lucid and familiar and
SO we'll interspersed with happy illustra-
tions and opposite anecdote, as to estab
lish reputation which he has never since
failed to maintain. as the ablest leader in
the Wing and Republican ranks in the
great West. oel sr q f taA
In 1916 he was elected to Congress, and
served out his term, and would have been
re elected had he not declined to be a can
didate. He steadily y and earnestly opposed
the annexation of Texas, and labored with
all his powers in behalf of the Wilmot
Proviso In the National Convention OF
1S4S, of which he was member, he ad-
vocated the nomination of General Tay-
lor, and sustained the nomination by an
active canvass in Illinois and Indiana.
From 1S49to 1854 Mr.. Lincoln was
engaged assiduously in the practice of bis
profession. and being deeply immersed in
business, was beginning to lose his inter
est in politics. hen the schcming ambi-
ton and groveling sel6shness of an nm.
scrupulous aspirant to the Presidency
brought about the repeal of the Missouri
Compromise That act of baseness and
pcrfdy aroused tho sleeping lion. and he
prepared for new efforts. Hc threw him
self at once into the contest that followed
and fought the battle of freedom on the
ground of his former conflicts in Illinois
with more than his accustomed energy and
ZEAL Those who remember the tremen-
dous battle fought in Illinois that year
4 ....n f.1l
three -fourths of the ability and unweary
ing labor which resulted in the mighty
victory which gave Illinois her first Re-
publican Legislature, and placed LYMAN
TRuMBcLL in the Senate of the Unitet
States. The first and greatest debate o.
that year came off between LINCOLN and
DoUGLAs at Springfield during the progrcs.
of the State Fair. in October We re
member the event as wildly as though i
transpircd yesterday, and in view Of tn,
prominence aow given to the chief actor
in that exciting event. it cannot fail to be
interesting to all.
The affair came off on the fourth day o
October, 1854. The State Fair had beer
in progress two days, and the capital wa.
full of all manner of men. Tho Nebrasks
bill had been passed on the previous TWEEN
ty-seccnd of May. Mr. Douglas had re
turncd to Illinois to meet an outraged con
stituefcy. He had made fragmentars
speech in Chicago, the people filling NJ
each hiatus in peculiar and good humor
ed way. He called the people a mob
they called him rowdy. The ''mob" ha,
the best of it. both then and at the elcctio,
which succeeded. The notoriety of al
these events had stirred up the politics o
the State from bottom to top. Hundred
OF politicians hal met at Springfield ex
peciing a tournament of an unusual char
aoter--Douglas. Breese, Knrncr, Lincoln
Trumbull. Mattcson. Yates, Codding
John Calhoun. (of the order Of the Candl
Box. John NJ. Palmer, the whole hous
of the McConnells,S Singleton. known t,
fame in the Mormon War; Thos. I
Harris, aud host Of others. Several
speeches were made before, and several af
, ter, the passage between LINCOLN an,
} DOUGLAS. but that was justly held to b
the event of the season.
i We do not remember whether chal
lenge to debate passed between the friend
of the speakers or not. but there was a per
fectly amicable understan ling between Lin
, coin and Douglas. that the former shoul
speak two or three hours and the latte
reply in just as little or as much time a
he chose. Mr. Lincoln took the stand a
two o'clock-a large crowd in attendance
and Mr.. Douglas seated on a small plat
form in front of the desk The first hall
J hour Of Mr.. Lincoln's speech was take
: up with compliments to his distinguishe,
{ friend Judge Douglas, and dry allnsion
to the political events Of tho past few year,
. His distinguished frie nd Judge Dougla
had taken his seat, as solemn as the Coel,
| Lane ghost. evidently with the design {
. not moving muscle till it came his tur
. to speak. The laughter provoked by Lin
. coins exordium. however. soon began t
make him rneasy and when Mr. L. al
rived at his [ Douglas speech pronouncin
: the Missouri Compromise ga sacred thin
q which no ruthless hand would ever
; reckless enough to disturb. he opened hi
/. lips far enough to remark, ga frst-rat
| speech :" This was the beginning of a
/ amusing. colloquy. =. : 4
Yes" continued Lincoln, $50 .affet
tionate was my friends regard for thi
0 compromise line. that when Texas was ad
: mitted into the Union,. and it was foun