Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1866-09-15

The communication OF 1Dtelligence III
regard to the designs and the policy of
parties by the press, is to q great ex-
tent er parte and Incomplete; and the
defect has led to a practice peculiar to
the United States, of holding assem-
blies of the people in which all unite for
the purpose of discussing public ques-
tions, both sides being defended re-
spectively 10y speakers of Oppo-
site opinions. This practice is
general in the Western and South
ern states. but less so in the Middle
and Eastern. 1t is to be regretted that
it is not universal Nothing can be
more fair than such comparison and
criticism of measures and opinions.
When misstatements may be instantly
corrected, there is no temptation to
make them, as there is in mere party
meetings.; and the facts of the case
being undisputed, the influence
of the speaker, apart from the
merits of his cause, depends alto
gether on the power of his eloquence
and the soundness of his logic. Lit has
the advantage of carrying before the
great tribunal of the people IN every
neighborhOod flor there is scarce a To-
cahty in which meetings are not heidi
the issues to be tried; and thus before
the right of suffrage is exercised, every
man is enabled to form an intelligent
understanding of the duty he is to per-
form. 1t was In this field of public de-
bate that MIR. Douglas oratOry, was to
great extent, found. His labors at va
rious periods of his life In traversing
the State for the purpose of addressing
these assemblies of the people are al
most Incredible; and the influence he
acquired is due IN IA great degree to the
impression which he made on these oc-
casions by his eloquence and his logic
al power.
The most memorable of these pop
nlar canvasses, and one which Is not
likely ever again to occur, was that OF
1858, when Mr. Lincoln and MIR. Doug
las, both candidares for the Senate at
the time and for the presidency two
years afterwards, traversed the State,
speaking together at different places
designated by previous appointment
and published Tor the information OF
the people. The magnitude of the issues
involved in the elections OF that year,
(far more vital to the peace and per-
manent interests of the country than
any one at that time could have fore
seen, although subsequent events were
even then family fOreshadOwed,) the
great ability of the speakers, the con-
fidence reposed In them by the political
parties which they respectively repre-
scented, and the immense multltudes
that were drawn together to witness so
extraordinary contest, gave 1t an I'M
portance which no similar trial of intel
| lectual power has ever attained. The
relation IN which they stood to each
other, and the whole country so soon
afterwards, give it, now that their earthly
labors are ended, u posthumous char
acter of heroism surprising that which
| il possessed at the time. They may
be said, with perfect truth, to have
been the nations representatives and
| the opponents of its opinions. They
we're actors in political drama as lar
transcending in grandeur all other pop
ular canvasses as an epic rises IN dig
nifty above a narrative OF ordinary HE.
| In April, 1861, when the first gun
was fred upon Fort Snmter, MIR. LIn-
| coin and MIR. Douglas were again to-
| eether, the former as President and
| the latter as Senator of the United
States, taking counsel in regard to the
me assures to be adopted to vlndlcate
the insnlted honor of the government,
to uphold its violated authority, and to
save the Union from fOTcible dlsmem-
bermxxlt. MIR. Douglas advised the
most ample preparations and the most
vigorous action. L have the highest
authority for saying that he had the
entire confidence of the President, and
when they parted Mr.. Douglas set out
| on that last great service of traverslng
the free states, and rousing them by
his resistless eloquence to the great
duty of maintaining the Union unbro-
ken against the gigantic treason by
which its existence was threatened. -
And thus these two distinguished men,
so recently opposed to each other,
came together in friendly confer
ence under the impulse of an exalt-
ed patriotism, and an impending
national peril, forgetting past differ
ences, having no thought of themselves,
and DESTROYS only of knowing how each
could do most for the common cause.
It pleased God Tia t both should perish
In carrying out the great purposes of
their hearts. Mr.. Douglas died of a
disease contracted in his herculian eff
forts in canvassing the northwest In
support of the war. Mr.. Lincoln died
| by a hagitious act of cowardice AID
crime, on the very day when the old
flag went up on the battlements of Fort
Sumter, amid the shouts, the congratu-
| lations and the tears of the thousands
who came together to witness this sig
nifieant vindication of the national pow
en- Happily the one was spared tall he
saw tie people of the free states inspired
with his own enthusiasm IN the
country's cause; the other till he had
made his name immortal by striking
from the limbs of 5000, 900 human be-
ings the manacles of slavery, and seen
the last hostile force surrender to the
armies of bhe Union.
Fellow-citizens, there is a view of
this sudden revolution, in the social
condition of the cOlored race, which
ought never to be overlooked. The
proclamation of Mr.. Lincoln abolish
ing slavery, was an act of war, and ex-
tended only to the states which had Ia
ken up arms against the government -
1t did not reach Maryland, Delaware,
Kentucky or Tennessee, which remain
ed true to their allegiance. Slavery still
existed in these states; and for its final
extinction, for the contamination of
the great measure of manumission, for
the oblteration of the only feature In
our political constitution, which has
ever been regarded as inconsistent with
its fundamental principles of freedom
and equality, the country is indebted