The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1860-06-20
Letter fro,n Judge Douglas.
WASHINGTON, June 9th, 1860

"ASHINGTONI June Stn, lH6O.
GENTLEMEN 81 have received by express
one dozen copies OF your publication Of the
joint debates between Mr.. Lincoln and nv.
self in 1858, sent by order of the Hon. Mr..
Cox, who will pay you the amount Of your
bill. / feel it my duty to protest against
the unfairness of this publication, and espe.
cialIy against the alterations and mutiIations
In the reports of my speeches. The original
reports, as published in the Chicago Times,
although intended TO be fair and Just, were
necessarily imperfect, and in some respects
erroneous. The speeches were all delivered
in the open air, to immense crowds of peo-
pie, and 10 some instances in stormy and
boisterous weather, when il was impossible
for the reporters to hear distinctly and re-.
port literally. The reports of my speeches
were not submitted to me or to any friend of
mine for inspection or correction before
publication; nor did have the opportunity
OF reading more than one or two of them
afterwards, until the election was over,
when all interest in the subject had passed
away.
About one year ago a gentleman in Hi
nois wrote to me in this city for permission
to publish these joint debates in book form,
stating that lIr. Lincoln had given his con-
sent to their publication. | did not retain
a copy OF my reply, but, according to my
present recollection, stated that there were
many errors in the reports of the speeches
as published, and expressed my unwilling
ness to the publica ton unless should have
| the revising and correcting Of errors. | am
: not. aware, however, that yobr publication
has any connection with that Opplication.-
Upon the slight examination of your publ
cation which | have been Hble to make,
find that Mr.. Lincoln's speeches have been
revised. corrected and improved since their
publication in the newspapers OF Illinois
while mine have been mutIated, and in some
instances The meaning changed by the oms
sion of nterogatori's and expressions oil
appreciation and disapprobatlon by persons
in the crowd to which my remarks were
made responsive. but by the omission oi
which my replies seemed ambiguous, nco
herent or uninteligible. The unIarness ot
these omissions and alterations is rendered
more apparent by reference to the fact that
similar interrogatories and expressions oil
applause or disnpprob4tion are retained in
Mr.. Lincoln's speeches in all cases where
they add to their force, and omitted where
they impuir the effect of bis argument.
In short. regard your publication as par.
tal and unfair, and designed to do me njus-
tice by placing me in false position.
saw in the preface to the first edition o. your
publication, which is omitted in the copy
sent to me, correspondence between MIR
Lincoln and the Ohio Republican Commit.
tee, from which it appears that Mr.. Lincoln
furnished his speeches and mine for publ
cation-his in the revised and corrected form
and mine as they came from the hands oil
the reporter, without revision. Being thus
notified that his speeches had been revised
and corrected, this tact ought to have re.
minded you that common fairness and Justice
required that should have an opportunity
of revising and correcting mine. But tc
deny me that privilege, and then to change
and mutiate the reports as they appeared in
the newspaper from which they were taken
is an act OF injustice against which mus
be permitted to enter my protest. In order
that the injustice which you have done me
may be in some degree diminished, re.
spectuIIy request that this letter, together
with the correspondence between Mr.. Lin.
coin aud the Committee, which led to the
publication, may be inserted as a preface to
all future editions of these debates.
have the honor to be, very respectfully,
your obedient servant,
S. A. DOUGLAS.
NJ ssrs. Follett, Foster Il Co., Columbus
Ohio.