The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-10-08

solve the Union. they meant IL you do not
leave slavery where IL is and permit It's
extension where IL is not we will break
up the Republic 1t was Lincolns task to
make this clear. and place the responsible
ity for secession uDon those who seeded
and for rebellion UPON those who rebelled,
and he did it with unequaled eloquence and
power.
the prevailing opinion. and played upon II
with consumnate skill. He declared the
doctrine of q house divided against it.
self was declaration of relentless section
al war. He presented with tremendous
force the Union dissolved by this crusade,
the people and their institutions buried in
common ruin, and peace. prosperity and
perpetuity with the Union saved by his
the people of the Territories to settle tho
slavery question for themselves. He in
named popular prejudice by declaring that
the phrase AN men are created equal In
the Declaration of Independence did not
refer TO negroes. and II Lncolns conten-
ton that IL did prevailed. then there would
be universal negro equality. One of the
most effective devices of the campaign was
the wagons loaded with lovely girls from
prairie homes plaintively proclaiming by
their banners that they would not marry
niggers. Lincoln's answer was memorable
and philosophic. Its calm assertion of a
principle rose far above the ctach-penny
artiflce of sophistical jugglery. He said: T
do not understand the Declaration of Inde-
pendence to mean that all men are created
equal in all respects. They are not equal
IN color. But | believe that it does mean
to declare that all men equal in some
respects-they are equal in their right to
life. liberty and the pursuit or happiness
Upon this platform. and on this very
spot, thirty-eight years ago to-day, stood
these intellectual athletes Neither they
nor the vast audience which enjoyed their
thrusts and parties cheered their effective
blows, and We're entranced by their elo-
quence, knew how rapidly they were maxi
ing history, how ably they were preparing
the most important chapter in the story
of the nineteenth century. 1t was the bat
tie eternally going on. often lost, but ever
won.' between principle and expediency.
Lincoln was tai. gaunt. awkward and
homely, with. high. penetrating voice,
which reached easily the utmost limits of
the crowd. Douglas was short, corpulent
ard dignified, with the grace and courtesy
of SENATORIAL custom and association, and
spoke with deep tones and slow enuncia-
ton, as If every word was weighted with
an important argument. Douglas was the
more adroit debater Lincoln the more
gent reasoner. Douglas could capture the
crowd by those courtesies TO his opponent
behind which he misrepresented his posi-
ticn while Lincoln, unframed to compile
ment, grew reStful and harsh at these sue
eessful falsifications. Lincoln could lift
his audience by passionate appeal TO
their better nature for the slave, for justice
and for liberty; Douglas was always the
and Douglas unconsciously were preparing
the people of the free States for TIE sacrt-
fees of civil war and the preservation OF
and glory of Douglas that when the war
broke out the partisan became a patriot
dent Lincoln, his unqualified support.
For the questions they debated here
hundred OF thousands Oh our cOunlryInen
died upon the field of battle. The South
fought as Americans can fight for what
they believed to be right, and tie North
fought as Americans can fight for what
time has demonstrated was the right. The
vow registered by Lincoln, the rough boat
man of nineteen, at the slave mart in
New Orleans was fulfilled by Lincoln,
President of the United States. in the proc
lamation which freed the slaves and made
the sentence for freedom in the Declara-
ton of Independence both a sentiment and
a fact. Two millions of volunteer soldiers
helped him enforce his message to the dis
unionists in his first speech at the COM
mencement of this debate. We Will not go
out of the Union and you shall not.
1.-The famous controversy over the House
divided against Itself nowhere discussed
more bitterly than here on this platform.
ended at Appomattox. The new South. the
peopled West, the enriched East. and the
prosperous North calmly review the
Issues which so radically divided them in
the past and reverently thank God that in
the final conflict and It's settlement the
leader of the forces of union and liberty
was the great-hearted. broad-souled. wise
Drained man of love and charity. Abraham
In