Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1860-09-07
Douglas Pitches into Breckin-
.H- ViApn

! Centuries ago, at one time during tn
famous pilgrimage, while the descendants
Abraham were marching towards the recover
of the ancient i.eritage Of their fathers fro1
!, the Border Ruffians of Canaan, an owe
whelming host of the enemy met them
their way. The overpowering numbers {
the foe threatened, if not to annihiats, men
at least to arrest and drive them back far frof
the object of their destination, and to indef
nitely postpone the liberation Of the Promise
Land from it's barbarian masters. On tn
eve of the momentous battle which was t
decide the future destinies of that country
and of the wo,ld--when all hope was shut off
and the nameless terror, which sometime!
falls upon armies about to be defeated, was
seizing the hearts of IsraePs chosen men--lht
strange order came to them from their Great
Commander to stand still at their posts, and
| Look on at the conflict about to commence
Imagination views their surrounded columns
standing at halt. with bows unstrung and
swords undrawn, awe.struck with fear and
doubt, defcnseless and unarrayed for battle,
while the bristling spears and rolling chariots
Of unnumbered hosts from all sides, over hill,
up dell, and through the forests, are coming
down upon the devoted band like a resistless
tempest. When lol the advancing columns
divide, and, facing each other, charge with all
the fury of their first onslaught upon their
own comrades and allies, and, when this
wonderful strife has ragged till both columns
turn and fly from each others fury, the hosts
of Israel charge upon the disordered ranks of
both, and the sha les of night fall upon the
flying hosts OF the enemy, trampled down and
broken, far and wide, like the branches and
leaves of a forest felled and scattered before
the hurricane. .E1N' a- .." " h-A-
Something like the position Of the children
of the ancient A Abraham, in this battle, is the
position of the hosts whom the modern
Abraham leads. Four years ago, it seemed
impossible to break the impregnable front
which the united Democracy Of the North
and South presented on the slavery question.
Now, that very nrepressible conflict, whose
predicted coming then excited their triumph
ant sneers, has, to their own irrepressible
seized hold Of their vast hosts,
like some paguing miracle, and has turned
them one against another, while the armies OF
freedom have but to look on in wonder at the
fury and the strangeness of the contest.
We are perfectly impartial in our sympa.
thies. We would Just as gladly see one whip
as the other. We hope that each one will
give the other the best drubbing in its power.
We shall keep Z fair look out in the battle,
and report its prominent features as they
occur. The most remarkable one nowis MIR.
Douglas conduct. He is going to "stump"
the Union for himself as President "a course
never pursued before. This is bringing Mr..
Breckenridge out, and he is to make great
speech in reply to Mr.. Douglas, in few days.
The canvass is fast assuming very personal
shape, and we ;yill not be surprised, ina few
weeks, to see the wonderful spectacle pre-
sented to the American people Of two promi-
nent Presidential candidates taking the stump
for themselves, and indulging in the most
virulent inyective and abuse towards each
other.
Mr.. Douglas has done what he could to
commence the scene, by the following personal
hit at Breckinridge, in his late speech at
Norfolk:
''Lincoln has no hope Of being elected except
through the efforts Of the Secesstonists, who
haoe divided the Democratic party, supposing
that Brecl,inridge could carry every Southern
State, though it s.oao seems he is not going to
carry a single one By The people. Still, by
dividing the North, he gives every one OF the
States to Lincoln, thus allowing him to be
elected by the popular vote. Why, what was
the true aspect of the contest before the
secession? Lincoln had no show whatever
for more than two States till the Breckinradge
division took place, and aoould hare beaten
him in erery State dut Vermont and Aiassa-
cAusetts." ...t