Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1864-04-07

Yote. Douglas secured the senatorship bus
~ gained the Presidency. The wonder
-. enuuranee of these men, both of iron
an Einsotu.lons, was strikingly manifest during
80 soa'es1. But at its close, Douglas could
~ a. .ieuiate clearly fer some weeks, while
Llncolns voice was clearer. stronger and he
nirnseh was In better health at the end than
ne was at the beginning of the contest
The friends of each of these yroo+ Ia.5..S
claimed the victory. All must sdrrit 49,
each met in his antagonist foeman wortbv
OF his steel.
The nomination of Mr. Lincoln 70 tho
Presidency came to him unsought and unso.
licited. The great leaders of national parties
struggled by their powerful friends and Or
CARNATIONS for the nomination at Chicago
Mr.. Lincoln remained quietly at his home in
| Springfield, pursuing the usual course of his
quiet, simple life, and the Presidency sought
him, he did not go after or seek it. Many
have seen in the manner in which he was
| called to the Executive Mansion the finger of
| Providence. s.EsE Ft
| LINCOLN LEAVING HOME FOR WASHINGTON.
need not recall the dark and threatening
aspect of affairs in the winter of 1S6O-'6I.
A long-planned, deep-laid conspiracy, about
to break upon the land, with all the horrors
of civil war Patriots saw the tornado COM
ing, saw the traitors plotting and planning
| the destruction of the Government. disarm-
| ing, plunderlng it, binding it, preparing it to
| tall an easy victim into the hands of traitors.
/ and yet had no means to resist, because all
Its machinery was in the hands of traitors.
How lmpatiently and fearfuly they waited
for the 4th of March all will remember The
President elect felt the oppressive weight of
responsibility resting upon him. There is not
more simple, touching, and beautiful speech
| IN the Engnsh language than that which he
uttered 10 his nelghbors from the platform of
the rail-car, on bidding goodbye to his home.
to enter upon the duties of the Presidency.
az" For more than twenty-five wears | have
lived among you, and during all that time I
have received nothing but kindness at your
hands Here the most cherished ties of earth
| were assumed Here my children were born.
and here one of them lies buried.
To you, my friends, owe all that have,
all that am. All the strange checkered past
seems to crowd now upon my mind. To-day
| leave you. | go to assume task more
difficult than that which devolved upon Gen.
Washington Unless the great God who as
sisted him shall be with and aid me, cannot
prevail; but if the same Omniscient mind
and the same Almighty arm that directed and
protected him shall guide and support me.
shall not fail. l shall succeed Let us pray
that the God of our fathers may not forsake
US now. 10 Him | commend you all. Per-
NIT me to ask that, with equal sincerity and
faith, you will all invoke His wisdom and
guidance for me-"
The feeling of the people was impressively
exhibited by the notices on the banners
which they extended across the streets
through which he passed on his way to the
Capitol. awe will pray for you" was often
| the significant motto. \
REMARKABLE PREDICTION OF DOUGLAS, IN JANU-
AIRY, 1861.
Here | will pause moment to state most
remarkable prediction made by Douglas, in
January, 1861. The statement is furnished
to me by General c. B. Stewart, of New
| York, gentleman of the highest respecta-
blity:
Douglas was asked by Colonel Stewart (who
was making New Years call on Mr.. Doug
las, )"W What will be the result of the effort of
Jefferson Davis and his associates to divide
the Union? ?" Douglas replied: "The cotton
States are making an effort to draw in the
border States to their schemes of secession,
| and | am too fearful they will succeed. If
| they do succeed, then will be the most terri
BILE civil war the world has ever seen, lasting
| for years. Virginia will become charnel
house; but the end will be the triumph of the
Union cause. One of the first efforts will be
to take this capital, to give them prestige
| abroad but tho will never succeed in TAX
ing it. The nol Gh will rise nadsSe to defend
it; but it will become a city of hospitals;
| the churches will be used for the sick and
wounded and even this house and the Min
nesota block (now the Douglas HospitaD may
be devoted to that purpose before the end
of the war" General Stewart inquired:
| "What justification is there for all this 2 -
Douglas replied: "There is no justification,
nor any pretence of any. If they will re-
main in the Union, will go as far as the
Constitution will permit to maintain their just
rights, and do not doubt but majority of
Congress will do the same. But" said he,
rising on his feet and extending his arms eff
the Southern States attempt to secede from
this Union without further cause, | am in
favor of their having just SO many slaves and
just so much slave territory, as they can hold
at the point of the bayonet, and no more"