The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1865-03-16
LINCOLN AND DOUGLAS.
Speech Of Hon. Isaac n. Arnold in the
House of RepTesehtatives.

House of Representatives, in which the following
historical and critical passage occurs concerning Lin
/ coin and Douglas
/ In June, 1853, there came prominently before the
country an actor who, hitherto comparatively obscure
was soon 10 become the most prominent hgure IN
| American history. Abraham Lincoln was plain
rough, steady pioneer OF the West. Seif-made and
seIf-educated giant in frame, ungrsceful and awk-
ward 10 person. but kind and genial in disposition a
profound thinker taking nothing on the Opinions oi
Others but reasoning his convictions and con-
conclusions Of great sagacy, of unbemished pirate
character, of truthfuness and honesty which had
/ long established for him among the backwoods smen,
dressed in buckskin and Kentucky jeans the familiar
soubriquet Of ..Honess Old Abe
This man, whose sympathies were with the PEG,
ple who loved liberty and detested slavery, called
sneerngiy by the arstocrats of the "poor white
trash Of the South, now threw all OF his energies ~
friends OF liberty His language possessed plain
ness auaintness and cIearuess Of illustration, and
| refined Angio-Saxon style wonderfully adapted to
70 reach the and understanding OF the common
! mind Of the country. The training Of this man for
the great part he to act in the drama OF history
was not in the schools Perhaps it better from
cbildbood he had been accustomed to struggle with
and difficulties. With the basis OF perfect
truth candor integrity, modesty, and sobriety, he
acquired self CONTROL self reliance and the ability 70
use promptly clear judgement and sound common
sense. !.
His acquisitions in general knowledge and informa-
ton we're rarely surpassed. He studied and invest-
gated every subject that required his action lie was
| a good lawyer, good mechanic, a good farmer and
| had fund of practical information upon almost
every subject. He studied Eucld and Shakespeare as
well as Blackstone Will etraveling the circuit lie had
served single term in Congress- but his education
his preparation, among the people IN humble po-
sitions He had seen life in various phases. tie had
been aatboatmen, ral-splittcr, surveyor, pri-
member of the Legislature of Illinois, and very
cessful lawyer of the circuit among the log court
houses of the West. He had the advantage of COM
petng at a bar where very able men were his conpe-
titors and rivals and he always held front rank
As have said different occasion, there gathered,
some twenty five years ago, around the plain pine
t.Iaz q tho rule urf- %
very remarkable combination of men. Among them
Abraham Lincolp, Stephen A. Douglas, Lyman Trum.
eloquent Senator from Oregon, the martyr Of Balls
Bluff; General James Shields, long Senator, who won
high reputation the battle fields Of Me sico: Gen.
ernf John !. Hardin, who fell on the bloody field OF
Buena Vista; James A. McDougall, Senator from
California Governor Bssel of the ablest states
men of Illinois, and the eloquent Representative whose
defense of the gallant soldiers Of that State drew
challenge from Jefferson Davis then member of Con-
gress from Mississippi, which was accepted by Bis
SELL but the Mississippian did fight withdrawing
his challenge under the influence of General Taylor
Those, and many others equally able, were the men
with whom Lincoln in his career at the bar was called
to compete.
But the man to whom Lincoln most indebted for
his training and his fame his great political rival
Stephan A. Douglas. These men, both self-made and
self-educaed, coming in early manhood to Illinois,
soon became the leaders, each of his party. No two
were more unlike. Physically and mentally they
were contrasts. Lincoln was the giant, Douglas was
the "fttle giant" Small in person, giant in intel
lect Douglas was bold denunciatory, impetuous, ar
personal popularity, and he ever the idol of his
party. His iron will, indonable energy, full faith in
himself and his cause. united with frank and magnetic
manners, and a generous heart made him oneof the
strongest in the nation. These two men were
members of the Legislature of Illinois as early as
1885. Douglas had distinguished himself an able
dcbssr and controversiaist Illinois, in the House
Of and Senate of the United States,
treatment of this question in the Territories After
voting to apply the Missouri line 30 Texas, he finally
ADOPTED the position OF popular sovereignty, or squat
n1 Tho nf
each Territory to settle the question of slavery for
themselves. In accordance with this principle he
caused The repeal of the Missouri compromise, and
assumed the position that the people Of each Territory
should themselves choose whether they would exclude
or admit slavery. When Buchanan's Administration
became party 70 the conspiracy to make Kansas q
slave State against the will of the people, Douglas ad
hered to his principle Of popular sovereignty and
fair vote the question This brought him in col
sion with the of the saveholders party,
and they sought to degrade him by removing him from
his position of chairman of the Committee on Terri
tories. In july 1885, the senatorial term of Douglas
was about expire and he came home to enter upon
In June Is5s the Republican State Convention met
at Springfield. Illinois, and nominated Abraham Lin
coin for the United States Senate in opposition 30 Doug
las. The speech which Mr. Lincoln made at that con-
vention brief il is of the most remarkable
in history. He gave clear exposition of the
struggle which had long been going between Iber-
attention of the people and became historical They
were recognized as expressing great phosophic fact
immediately secured the and the hearts Of the
friends of liberty throughout the Union. His speech
commencing, "A House divided against ITSELF, dc., is
too familiar 70 need quotation. or the great conflict
between liberty and slavery be said. 'We shall not
fail; wise counsels accelerate mistakes de-
lay, but sooner OF later the victory to come
Such the grave, phosophc appreciation by
Lincoln of the great contest then pending With this
feeling he entered upon the memorable Senatorial
of 1855 with Senator Dougl IAis whether
looking at the persons engaged the principles in
volved, the most remsrkable in American history.
The two great parties throughout the Union paused 70
watch its progress aud each observed with eager so
citude every movement of its champion.
Soon after the arrivaof Douglas from Washington,
in the summer of 1855, Mr. Lincoln Challenged him
a series of debates during the campaign. The chal-
lenge accepted twas arranged that there should
joint debates, each alternately opening and
closing the discussion the opening speech to occupy
hour, the reply hour and half and the close
half hour that each tournament should be limit
ed to three hours. These debates, held in different
sections Of the State and in the open air, called to-
gether vast throngs of people. They conducted,
with few exceptions, with the dignity and courtesy
becoming the occasion There every motive to
stimulate each champion to the exertion of his utmost
power. Each was actuated by sincere convictions
that the success Of his party was necessary to the
ship was the immediate personal prize which would
ward the victor, snd in the future the Presidency,
probably not overlooked by either certainly not for
gotten BY Dosgas The great political questions At
issue between the parties discussed but each
felt nstinctvely, that the slavery question the
question OF Questions This absorbed all the interest
The question of slavery in the Ter rtores the Dre
Scoss decision the Fugitive Slave Law, and the opi
ions of the fathers were among the topics most fire.
quen,ly debated Douglas went through this cam
paign with the manner and bearing OF . conquering
hero. There was something grand IN the beldness
with which he threw himself the contest and deal,
his blows right and let against the great Republican
party on one side, and the Administrations, which
sought TO ai his defeat on the other. Douglas and
his friends were Tost liberal in their expenditures
this canvass. He had his special trains Of cars q
cannon the firing of which announced his approach,
bands of music his circle Of devoted friends travel
ing with him, and is said there expended tie
canvass less than $5e, ,oeo. Some idea OF the
plain, simple. frugal habits of Mr. Lincoln may be
gathered from remark made BY him after its close.
when he said with the idea, apparently that be had
been somewhat e1travsgant, Il do not believe have
spent cent less than FIVE hundred dollars this can
vase
Senator Douglas at that time undouh.eily the
leading debater in the United States Senate. For
years he had been accustomed to meet the trained
leaders Of the nation Congress- and never, either
IN single combat receiving the IRE of whole party,
had be been discounted. He Was bold, defiant, az
gressive vigorous, fertile in resources terrible in de-
nuncizt'on, familiar with political history, with prAe-