Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-05-21

Abraham Lincoln fully three-fourths of the
abliity and unwearying labor which resulted
n the mlghty victory which gave Illinois her
tfSl Hepphlican Legislatufe and placed Ly-
man Trumbun In the Senate Of the United
eiaies. The hrst and greatest dehate of that
year carlc Of between Lincoln and bdnglas
at Springfield, during the progress of the State
Fair, in October. We remember the event as
viyidly as though Il transpired yesterday, and
in view Of the prominence now given to the
clisef actor In that exciting event, it cannot
fail to be interesting TO all.
The affair came on on the fourth day Of
October, 1854. The State Fair had been in
progTess two days, and the capital was fun Of
all manner Of men. The Nebraska bin had
been passed on the previous tYenty-second of
Nay. Mr.. Douglas had returned TO Illinois
70 meet an outraged constituency. He had
made fragmentary speech lin Chicago the
people filling up each hiatus in peculiar and
good humored way. He called the people a
mob-they called him aroWdy. The "mob"
had the best Of 1t, both then and at the cleo
ton which succeeded The notOriety of all
these events had stirred up the politics Of the
State from bottom to top. Hundreds Of ae-
tive politicians had met at Springfield ex-
pecting a tournament Of an unsual character
Douglas, Breese, Kgner, Lincoln, Trum-
bull, Metteson, Yates, Codding, John Calhoun
(Of the order of the Candle Box, John n.
Palmer, the whole house Of the McConnells,
Singleton, known to fame in the Mormon
War; Thos. L. Harris, and host Of others.
Several speeches were made before and several
after the passage between Lincoln and Doug
las, but that was justly held to be the event
Of the season.
We do not know whether a challenge TO
debate passed between the friends Of the
speakers or not but there was perfectly am
icable understanding between Lincoln and
Douglas, that the former should speak two OF
three hours and the latter reply in Just as lit
tie or as much time as he chose Mr.. Lin
coin took the stand at two o'clock-a large
crowd in attendance, and Mr.. Douglas seated
on a small platform in front of the desk
The frst halfhour Of Mr. Lincoln's speech
was taken up with compliments to his dis
tinguished friend Judge Douglas and dry al
lusions 10 the political events of the past few
years. His distinguished friend Judge Doug
las had takenhis seat, as solemn at the Cock
Lane ghost, evidently with the design Of not
moving muscle till it came his turn to
speak. The laughter provoked by Lincoln's
exordium, however, soon began to make him
uneasy; and when Mr. L. arrived at his
douglas speech pronounc;ng the Missouri
Compromise " sacred thing which no ruth
less hand would ever be reckless enough to
disturb, he opened his lips far enough TO re-
mark, q A frst-rate speech |" This was the
beginning of an amusing eolloquy.
Yes, continued Lincoln, so affectionate
was my friends regard for this compromise
line, that when Texas was admitted into the I
Union, and il was found that a strip extended
north of 36030<, he actually introduced bill
extending the line and prohibiting slavery in
the northern edge Of the new State"
And you voted against the bill, said
Douglas. -.
Precisely So replied Lincoln; al was in
favor of running the line great deal further
South.p r-f. .r 8s..H
About this time the speaker continued,
my distinguished friend introduced me to a
particular friend Of his one David Wilmot Of
Laughter.
q thought" said Douglas, "you would
find him eongenial company
$50 did" replied Lincoln. " ! had the |
pleasure of voting for his ProyisO, in one way
and another about forty times 1t was a
Democratic measure then, I believe. At any
rate Gen. Cass seolded Honest John Davis of |
sOundly for talking away the !
last hours of the session 50 that he (Cass)
couldn't crowd it through. AprOpos of Gen.
Cass; if am not greatly mistaken he has
prior claim 10 my distinguished friend, to the
of Popular Sovereignty. The old |
General has an infrmity for writing letters. |
Shortly after the scolding be gave John Da-
Wis he wrote his Nicholson letter
Douglas (solemnly)-" God Almighty |
placed man on the earth, and told him to
choose between good and evil. That was the
origin of the Nebraska bill! "
Lincoln Well, the priority of invention
being settled, let us award all credit to Judge
Douglas for being the first to discover it,"
Il would be impossible, in these limits, to
give an idea Of the strength Of Mr.. Lineoln's !
Ne deemed il By far the ablest !
effort of tie cappaign-fGG whatever I
source. The occasion was a great one and !
the speaker was every way equal to it. The |
effect produced on the listeners was magnetic. |
No one who was present viii ever forget the
power and vehenence OF ths following pas
sage: il4'l Hs lsa
any distinguished friend says it is an in
suit to the emigTapts to Kansas and Nebraska !
10 suppose that they are not able TO govern |
themselves. We must not slur OYeF an argu-
ment of this kind because it happens to tickle
The ear It must be met and answered. l |
admit that the emigrant TO Kansas and Ne I
Draska is competent to govern himself but
he speaker rising to his full height 4 deny
his riqht to govern any other person WITHOUT
THAT PERSONS CONSENT The applause
which folloged this triumphant refutation Of
cunning ilseHood, vas bat an earnest Of
he victory at the polls which folloSEd just
,ne month from that day. --su5.
When Mr.. Lincoln had concluded Mr.. Doug !
as strobe hastily to the stand. As usual, he
Employed ten minutes in telling how grossly
le had beer, abused, recoliecting binself he
dded, "though In aperectly courteous man
in pefectly courteous mannerl
Ie then devoted half an hour to showing that
was ih9ispeHsably necessary to California
Santa re tFadeFs and others, to
aye organic acts provided for tue Territory
( Kansas and Nebraska-that being pre-
isely the point which nobody disputes
Iaying established this premises to bis salts
lction, Mr.. Douglas launched forth into an I
rgument wholly apart from the positions Ia Z
en- by Mr.. Lincoln He had about half fin- I
he'd at six o'clock, when an adjournment to
} tea was effected. qhe speaker insisted
Feauausly upon his right to resume in the
Tening, but We believe the second part of I
lat speech has not been delivered to this
ay. After the Springfield passage, the two
,eakers went to Peoria and tried It again :
fth iientically the same results. A friend
no listened to the Peoria debate informed
that after Lincoln had finished, Douglas, q
hadn' much to say''-Which We presume
have been Mr.. Douglas view of the case {
SO, tor the reason that be ran away from
8 antagonist aud kept eVt Of his way du-
ng the remainder Of the campaign. v
During this exciting campaign Mr. Lincoln
.essed the slavery issue upon the people of
antraI and Southern Illinois, who were large
made up Of the emigration from Tennes- I
E, Virginia and North Carolina, with all