The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1860-09-29
Discussion at MENDOZA.


The republicans have Dragged so much
over their imagined victory in the discus
sion between the Hon. O. b. FiCKILS and
Hon LYMAN TRUNBurL at Mendoza last /
week, that we really begin to think that
Mr.. Trumhull had crushed his opponent
Unfortunately, however, for all this blow
ing and guessing Of the Chicago Tribune
and the Ottawa HIg,cam the Chicago
Times and HeraH had q reporter on the
ground who gave a strictly correct and
impartial report OF the debate. The re-
port is now before us. We have read it
with much care, and while we are com
PEELED to admit that Mr. f., did not make
such speech as from his reputation we
had expected, we must also aver that the
speech OF Judge Trumbull was no more
able while it was infinitely less manly and
honorable.
Mr.. Ficlllin was evidently prevented
from doing himself or his cause half jus
tice by the constant and indecent annoy
ance and Interruptions to which he was
subjected. He seems to have been by
these, thrown off the plan of his opening
speech, and spent his hour III answering
foolish auctions and quibblings from the
audience The crowd being two-thirds re-
publican, Trumbu!l was annoyed scarcely
any in the same way, and had compare
lively clear field before him While
Mr.. F.'s speech was thus broken and de
sultory, Mr.. is was deliberate and sys-
tematic
Mr. Ficklin closed, however, by asking
Mr. Trumbull series of questions, which
between them, and which Mr.. Trunbull
utterly failed to answer. Among them
were these for instance
"Why did you vote against the admiss-
ion OF Oregon as u free state, was il be-
cause her constitution excluded free ne
sroes?"
As this was the reason given at the time
by Mr. Trumbull, and as Mr. T., and the
republicans now maintain that they want
to save the territories for the white man
we submit that this was pertinent ques-
ton.
Again
4" Do you believe with Seward that we
can have no new slave States without re-
opening the African Slave Trade, aad so
you believe with hun that the North and
South Will he unanimous against re open
ing the Slave Trader
Mr. Trumhull refused to answer these
questions because lie said they were not
pertinent We should Ike TO know what
all this republican fuss about slavery IN
the territories amounts to if, IS Seward
says. slavery cannot he extended without
re-oyening the slave trade, which he ad-
mits viii never be done?
Then IN his speeches Trumbull made
some most extraordinary statements
Ficklin had charged Trumbull with CON
tending that the Declaration Of Iudepen-
denca. when it says, all men are created
equal. &c, and governments derive
their just powers from the consent Of the
governed" meant black men IS we'll is
white in the United States, while lie yet
denied 10 the negro social and political
equality Trumbull got over his inconsis
;ency IN this way, God, he said, crea
ted az men equal; but human govern
ments were rot made by the Almighty
but by man. So, although all men axe
crcs'sd equal, they are not equal in human
society, Because they have not the same
political rights, it does Tot follow tLa
they were not created equal =
lie repeated the old lie about Douglas
INTRODUCING. sedition law in the Sen
ate; about the democrats defying the de
ci-ion of the Supreme Court in the case o
the T. 5. Bank: said all territories brfo.,
they were organized were totally without
inhabitants, and repeated the lies abou
Douglas lodging the Homestead Bill On,
voting to lay it aside TO take up the Cub
Bill
To all these gross and palpaJle false
hoods, with dozens like them, of whic
Truc4bu,l's whole speech was made W
Mr.. Ficklin was again prevented from /,
plying by the ungcnt!emanly interruption
to which lie was subj "ctcd
If the Republicans expect to make an,
thing b. such exhibitions they must rel
very much on the efficacy OF gross falls,
hood and dishonesty and on the endie.
, eu!.Ibility Of voters.