Morning journal and courier., 1882-04-13
Lincoln and Dou glass.
How Honest Old Abe Refused to Try to Put the Little Giant in a False Position.

Put the Little Giant in a False Position. From the Chicago TribuneJ
 The following interesting scrap of history is furnished the ITfJ1lne by an old resident
 of Chicago, an ex judge, and himself an ae- tor in the event he describes. It is now
 given to the public, it is believed. for the first time;
 | ''When the opposition to the extension of slavery had crystallized in the North into new political party-the Republcan-it
 found in the North itself the most talented
 and dangerous enemy the rising spirit of uni
 versal liberty had to overthrow. In the per- son of Stephen A. Douglass the South and slavery extension had giant indeed to fight their battles in the very strongholds of hber- ty. In 1858 new Senator was to be elected from this State, and Douglass was put for
 ward as the candidate of the 'squatter sov- ereignty' Democracy. The leaders of the newly formed Republican party instincti7ely turned to old Abe as the fttest man in the State to contest the position with him, and
 he was sent for to meet a few prominent men in Chicago to arrange the conduct of the campaign and decide upon the proper course to be pursued in the inevitable debate iu prospect. The meeting took place at the old Fremont House, and a very full atten- dance of the principal men Of the city and State WAS secured.
 ''It will be remembered that Douglass and Buchanan greatly differed in their views of Democratic doctrine and policy, and after much debate it was the general sense of the meeting that, as Buchanan was the head of the Democratic party, his views should be regarded as the true Democratic doctrine and hence in the coming contest Mr. Doug lass should be held responsible for them And the debate should be conducted in opposition to these sentiments in utter disregard of the fact that Douglass rspudiated them. and hence could not in fact or in justice De re- garded as holding them After much talk had gone round, Mir Lincoln was called upon to give his views of the matter It is impos- sible now to quote his exact language or give any correct statement of the iodescri0able manner of the man as he slowly elevated his towering frame aboyehis fellows who filled the hall We can only give the general substance of the address Gentlemen said he. you have put me forward in this contest without any solicitation OF my part. and am here at your request. It is a matter I do not care particularly about, and I am of the opinion you have made mistake in selecting me as your candidate. I cannot enter this debate nor conduct it upon the principles you pro- pose. They are wrong in principle and false in fact, and have never yet been able to advocate cause with any success which I did not believe had justice and truth upon my sides. Mir. Douglass, as matter of fact, does not entertain the principles nor advocate the policy of James Buchanan; hence it would be unfair and unjust to him to so regard him. Besides, am uconyinced 1t would place me in a ridiculous light before the people to be continually replying to arguments and overthrowing positions which 1t is notorious my opponent does not assume. Nothing would give Mir. Douglass so easy victory as such false and dishonest course on my part. No, gentlemen, I cannot enter the canvass upon any such grounds as you pro pose it would not be honest There was E-- aI-- shot of the matter was that Honest Old Abe was permitted to enter that memorable con- test entirely untrammeled and with what re- suit is well known to the world "