Dodge City times., 1891-06-12
LINCOLN IN KANSAS IN 1859.



Extracts From Ex-senator Ingalls' Essay
in the New York Sun.
The republicans Of Kansas territory
had called convention to assemble at
Osawatomic on the 18th of May, to cf.
feet q formal organization of the party
and Mr.. Lincoln was invited to be pres
ent. He accepted conditionally, but
the condition developed SO rapidly in
Illinois that he was unable to attend.
On the 10th Of that month the rcpub-
licans Of that state met at Decatur, and
he was announced with great cnthu-
siasm as the ''rai!-splitter candidate"
for the presidency in 1850.
The Wyandotte, Kan, constitution
was framed in July, adopted in October
by popular vote, and an election for
state officers was held In December,
1859. The canvass was animated.
though the result was foregone con-
clusion. and again Mr.. Lincoln was
urged by some of his Illinois friends
and acqaaintances who had settled in
the territory to address the republicans
upon national politics. This was the
prctext, but in fact his appearance was
intended IS u demonstration to enable
him to compete with Seward for the
delegation from Kansas in the prcsi-
Dental nominating convention.
He accepted the invitation and the St
Joseph Gazette of November 80, 1859,
noticed his arrival in that city on the
previous day, en- route to the territory
ito make republican speeches His
first appearance was at the now extinct
city of Ellwood, directly opposite St
Joseph, on the Missouri river. The
Free Press of that city, December 8,
1859, says that large number of citi-
zens gathered Mt the Great Western ho-
tol to hear Mr.. Lincoln on the evening
of December l. lie was received with
enthusiasm. lie stated the reasons
why he could not make speech and
could only say few words to those
who had come out to meet him the first
| time he had placed his foot ON Kansas
soil
In conclusion MIR. Lincoln adverted
briefly to the Harper's Ferry incident.
He believed the attack of Brown
wrong, for two reasons. First, it was
as all such attacks must be, futile as
far as any effect it might have on the
great evil. We have means provided
for the expression of our beliefs in re-
gard to slavery. 1t is through the bal
lot box, the peaceful method provided
by the constitution. John Brown has
shown great courage and rare unseliish-
ness, as Gov. Wise tcstiiies, but no
man north or south, can approve of vi
olence or crime. Mr. Lincoln closed his
speech by urging all to vote rs became
the free men of Kansas.
Leaving Ellwood, Mr.. Lincoln drove
to Troy, where he delivered a brief
speech in the afternoon, to which Col.
A. G. Ego replied. He continued his
journey to Doniphan, where he passed
the night, making n short address in
the dining room Of the hotel to a small
audience. There he was met by A. ID.
Richardson, by whom the next morn
ing, December 2, he was con-
tanned ut the Massasoit house, and in
the evening delivered an address at the
Methodist church, which was described
by General StringfellOw as the most
logical and vigorous he had ever heard
from n republican orator. 1t was the
evening of the day that John Brown
was executed at Charleston. Tho tele-
graphic announcement of the execution
had been received in the afternoon.
One of the most dramatic incidents of
the speech of Mr.. Lincoln, who pur-
sued substantially the same line of ar
gument developed at Cooper Institute
in the following February, was an allu-
sion to the Harper's Ferry incident
Referring to the threats of disunion by
southern leaders in case of the election
of u republican president, he said this
would be treason-'and if You are
guilty of treason we will hang you, as
you have hanged old John Bro wn this
afternoon"
From AtchisOn he drove to Leaven.
worth, and the Times of December 3,
announced his expected arrival, called
upon its readers to give the gallant
champion of freedom a reception fitting
his great talents, his stirring eloquence.
his devotion to the cause of liberty.
lie was met by procession upon the
Fort Lcavcnworth military reservation
and escorted to his hotel, where he was
received with a speech of welcome from
Col. Vaughan, to which he responded
briefly, giving a hasty but graphic
sketch of the republican party, the
trials Of free state men in making Kan
sas the home of liberty, and said that
We were about TO enter upon final
battle for free institutions. Ills speech
ut Stockton hall in the evening was
upon popular sovereignty and the in
consistency of democracv.
In an editorial. the Times says that
its report was the merest outline of n
speech which must be regarded rs one
of the authors ablest and best efforts
He made no display, and no attempt at
oratory, but gave home-bred truth in
hOme-brcd style that charmed the
hearts of his hearers. Ills noble senti-
mcnts carried conviction and aroused
enthusiasm, and he was greeted at its
close with cordial cheers
The next day he departed for his
home in Springfield. Three months
later he delivered his historic Grafton in
New York. In less than year he had
been elected president Emerging from
the prOfoundest obscurity, he became
the most central figure of the most stu
pendous tragedy Of time, and passing
through the gate of martyrdom took
his place unchallenged among the lead
ers of mankind whose fame will remain
SO long rs the race shall endure.
This episode has escaped the atten-
ton Of the biographers of Lincoln, but
it possesses deep interest and signifi-
canoe as an illustration of his views
upon slavery and his relations to the
struggle that resulted in its destruction.
His renown will rest mainly upon his
connection with the abolition of slavery,
but he was not an abolitionist. He con-
demned and rcpudiated John Brown
and the insurrection at Harper's Ferry,
but he took the standard that fell from
his hand on the scaffold at Charleston
and bore it to AppomattOx. In 1859 he
believed in the supremacy of the Anglo
Saxon, the separation of the races, and
was opposed to negro suffrage, but he