The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-10-20

| ments OF subject, and disregardibg minor de-
tails. He IL eminentiy fair and candid prac-
titionsr and reasoner. He never inten-
uonally mistakes the position OF an
agonist. He meets It manfully and sig-
nslly, and grapples with il with what abili-
ty he can. He may occasionally give an undue
prominence 10 a trivial matter, but in general he
takes large and comprehensive views of subject.
He has not, TO any great extent the faculty Of ar
gung strongly against his own opinions. II he at
tempts to make what he thinks THE worse appear
the better reason" he is very apt to founder; but
let HIM examine a question thoroughly, let him
feel that he ia right, and there is no man in the
State who can present his own convc ions with
greater power, or can push home an argument
with more overwhelming force. 1t may be safely
ahirmed That the men who are most capable OF
| forming correct jndgment-those who have often
met him as an opponent, whether politically or
professionally-wil not feel much inclined to dis
parage his intellectual powers. There is another
| quality also which he possesses in great de-
gree, and which 30 much endears him TO his friends,
and that the earnesness Of his mental character.
When l.. he knows he is right, the dept, depth
viii he likely to be transferred to those who listen
| TO him, and this Is one element Of his power
| those no hear him. It has been sometimes said
truth is few men are more quick at turning point
or more ready at repartee in the rough and tumble
| OF debate, and no man sooner sees or understands
the effect Of fact or reason, upon his own or bis
| adyersary's position. His style is forcible and
transparent often like his garb, plain and home
3 "un; bis language frequently diomatc, very rare
u 81, ouent or polished. He is sometimes impas-
stoned in debate, occasionally, though seldom elo
ouent. his Illustrations usually happy and well
adantei TO the carer, and he has an inexhsustible
fund Of story and an 'cdote, Of which he makes FIRE
| quent use aud with GOO ehe e:a
The leading qualities o, biz mind are clearness,
vigor sensible, sound views o. things, comprehen-
| sive survey Of the subject latter Of debate,
and an intense earnestness in sn'orc,ng ms ms
own fonyicOns either Ne no ane has 'a GOOD
strong mind, and an honest intellect SO much fer
the opinion of three of the ablest ursts Of Illinois
| concerning the Intellectual capacity Of Abraham
| Lincoln.
In conversation with Mfr. Lincoln ] founi him
| emine nty conservative. Ii will be remembered
that Mr. Benjamin, in his place in the Senate Of the
United States al the last session in comparing the
consistency and conservatism Of Douglas and Lin
coin, said, with reference to the debate between
| those two men in Illinois, in lSis:-..1 must say
| here, for must be just to all, that have been
surprised in the examination that I made again
within the last few days Of this discussion between
Nr. Lincoln ami Mr.. Douglas, 20 find that Mr.. Lin
i coin is a far more conservative man. unless he has
since changed his opinions, than ! had sup
| posed him to be. There was no dodg-
| ing on his part.n In justice 10 Mr..
Lincoln and especially as all eyes in the nation are
now turned towards him as the probable successor
of Mr.. Buchanan and in response to the possibility,
suggested by Senator Benjamin, that Mr.. lincoln
may have changed his opinion since his debate with
/ Douglas can assert with great positveness that
be has not | have reason TO know that because Of
the great ability he exhibited and the high national
conservative position taken by him in that famous
discussion, he was selected by the Chicago Con-
| vention as the standard bearer OF the republican
| party. The platform adopted by that Cony
| is in harmony with the views expressed by Mr..
Lincoln in his discussion with Douglas. He stands
upon that platform and agrees that II shall be the
guiding policy in his official conduct ii elected Pre-
sident. Perhaps his real position on the slavery
| question ard the right Of States relative thereto
cannot be better defined than by quoting from
one OF his speeches, delivered at Ottawa IN
| IN faniv IN h1nUiaa
| he points TO Il now as fair reflex OF his senti-
| menis on that subject. Judge Douglas had made
what Mr.. Lincoln characterized, in the presence
| Of the former, a gross and palpable misrepre-
| sentatonr OF his U.ncolns) views on the slavery
question, and, after clearly showing 1t to be so,
Mr. Lincoln proceeded to define his true position
in the following brief paragraph. II Is right to the
point and more important at this time especially
in view Of the peculiar position Of Mr.. Lincoln.
| He said
Row, gentlemen, tins lie the true complexion OF all
have id 10 regard TO the institution of slavery and
black race This whole Of H. thing that
argues into his (Dougas) idea Of perfect social and
fautastic arrangement Of words, by which a man can
prove a hyse thestnu, to be che snu, horse. will
directly indirectly TO interfere with the institution Of
slavery In the States where It now exists. believe
social equality betxeen The white and the black
my judgment, win probably forever forbid their living
oge.her upon the footing Of perfect equality and Ina.
ference As well as Judge Douglas am in favor Of the
race to which being having The superior position
i hold that, not.ihstsnding al this, there
In no reason IN the world why the negro s
In the Declarasion Of Independencehe right Of lie,
liberty and the pursuit Of happiness hold that he =
pee @ No, squs man many
certainly not In color, perhaps not 10 moral or ntcc
30, IN The % 70 ss the e ssna .
he my equal and the equal Of Judge Douglas, and The
| equal Of every living man
So much for Mr.. Lincoln's record on the slavery
question. II is not near radical some Of the
! avowed doctrines Of the democratic party. Mr..
Benjamin =. Hallett, who has the credit Of having
/ framed he Cincinnati platform when acting as
| chairman 81 the Democratic State Committee OF
MassactUfe'is. in 1s49 In State convention wrote
and rtpclt resolution, which was swallowed
whole IL Lat body, and became the svowed policy
| OF the = ", which reads as follows
T.Fo.vec, That we are opposed 10 slavery 10 every
form ana color and In favor q freedom ana free sol
! wherever man lives, throughout Gods heritage.
In 1850 the democracy Of New Hampshire, in
convention assembled
Resolved, That opposed 70 the admission OF any
rev state into the American Union, rih ne pvoto Aas
ssar,yy sAaii BE- tolerated
Resolved, That u n the duty Of the members u our
Be brought before them, sise l>1 influence IN arv Of
Freedom
In 1855 the democracy Of Ohio
Resolved, Inst the people Of Ohio now, they have
hNets nISn stANSfy - ~ WV, ~"
bic 70 the devecpecb the spirit and practical benefits
OF free Institutions and that entertaining these ses
use ali power eisariy given BY The terms u.ona
compact 10 prevent ~ increase 10 mitigate, ana nnaiy
] TO eradicate The evil
The same year the democracy OF New YORK, "a
\ Cony eniion assembled
Resolved rbss while the democracy Of this state will
faithfully here TO all the oompromises o. The ooestu
ton ano manain all the reserved rights of TIE States
they deem ths appropriate occasion 70 declare their
fxcs hosty 70 the extension o. slavery into nee tern
, tory.
! quote the above resolutions 20 show that
| some Of the doctrines contained 10 them are
tar more radical than ever announced by
Mr.. Lincoln. II the slave States are inclg-
/ ded In Gods heritage then surely MI.
Halleti's doctrine L equivalent 20 q recommenda.
-. ~ ~. .1-nst.t.,ti.n ir,adn ~.