St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1860-06-07
The Chicago Nominations. q.

q
clans Of the different parties. The
Union Constitutional party laugh at
the nomination, as the old Wings
laughed at the nomination Of James
X. Polk in 1874. ave will return"
said Rufus Choate on that occasion,
James X. Polk to the Convention
that discovered him !" In the same
way the Democrats were hilarious
over the nominations of General llar-
rison and General Taylor. The sue
cess of these three candidates proves
that contempt for opponents is more
pleasant than wise.
Mr.. Lincoln, though not generally
known, like Mr.. Seward, as states
man and representative man, still pos
sesscs qualities which will make him
a strong candidate. There are no
prciudices against him in his own
party, and therefore the whole strength
of the party will be excrtcd in
his support. He is probably more
likely to carry the doubtful States
than many others who are better
known in these States. In regard to
his mind and character, he seems to
combine in a rare degree shrcwdncss
with enthusiasm, practical sagacity
with passionate devotion to principles,
and, IN canvassing the State of llli
nois against Douglas in 1853, he
proved also that he was one of those
sturdy workers who can "toil terri
bly," No public man of his party
has a quicker, more instructive per-
ccption of popular feelings and modes
of thinking, greater facility in con-
Meeting his own opinions with those
which obtain among the mass Of vo-
tiers, and a more insinuating way of
proving to the people that he is one
of them"
There is so much curiosity to learn
the personal appearance and bearing
of Mr.. Lincoln, that we reprint some
extracts from a sketch of him pub
lished in 1858, describing his debate
with Mr.. Douglas at Galesburg, Hi
nois, October eth of the same year
The letter was written by the Presi-
dent of a College in that State:
The men are entirely dissimilar.
Mr. Douglas is a thick-sct, firmly
built, courageous man, and has an air
Of self-confdcncc that does not lit
tie to inspire his supporters with
hope. Mr.. Lincoln is tall, lauk man,
awkward, apparently diflidcnt, and
when not speaking has neither firm
ness in his countcnancc nor fire in his
eye. y
Mr.. Lincoln has rich, silvcry voice,
enunciates with great distinctness,
and has fine command of language.
He commenced by review of the
points Mr.. Douglas had made. III
this he showed great tact, and his re-
torts though gcntlcmanly, were sharp,
and reached to the core of the sub
icct in dispute. While he gave but
little time to the work of review, we
did not feel that anything was omit
ted which deserved attention.
lie then proceeded to defend the
Republican party. Here he charged
Mr.. Douglas with doing nothing for
freedom with disrcgardinS the rights
and interests of the colored man
and, for about forty minutes, he spoke
with a power that we have seldom
heard equalled. There was a gran
deur in his thoughts, a comprehensive
ness in his arguments, aud n binding
force in his conclusions, which were
perfectly irresistible. The vast throng
were silent as death every eye was
fixed upon the speaker, and all gave
him serious attention. He was the
tall man eloquent his countcnance
glowed with animation, and his eye
glistcned with an intelligence that
made it lustrous. He was no longer
awkward and ungainly but graceful,
bold, commanding.
Mr. Douglas had been quietly smoli
ing up to this time but here lac for
got his cigar and listened with anX-
ious attention. When he rose to re-
ply he appeared excited, disturbed,
and his second effort seemed to us
vastly inferior to his first Mr.. Lin
coin had given him great task, aud
Mr.. Douglas had not time to answer
him, even if he had the ability.