The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1896-10-17

snd all south slave, and s6BtttfnG MlstvdrA
which was north, as a slave state, was CRATE
fully accepted. But later the crisis, as al
ways, the threat OF secession behind 1t, became
acute. and was once more tided over by the
compromises OF 1880. BY these measures
slavery secured national recognition of the
institution at the capital and the enactment
Of the fugitive slave law, but the Union saved
was regarded by the vast majority as well
worth this sacrifice of honor, morality and lib
erty.
The convention Of 1852 met to nominate a
president Webster's famous speech had beea
OF incalculable service to the south in carry
ing its measures through congress-. but 1t
had destroyed his availability with the
north. He was defeated, and the great
est statesman OF the century died Of
disappointment and modification. The war
with Mexico had added an enormous
area Of territory to the national domain. The
north, absorbed in diversified Industries and
material development. paid little heed TO the
future, but the south. recognizing the growing
hostility to its institutions, formed the plan OF
a permanent balance Of power. This was to
be accomplished by admitting no free state,
unless one which recognized slavery came in
at the same time. Then, with the senate
equally divided between free and slave states,
slavery would be forever safe from hostile
legislation. To accomplish this the Missouri
SOLnplOullSC NUS Uc Etptaltu- Inc sOulu
grew daily more threatening, and the north
more sensitive. To the man who could bridge
this chasm and fool the north. as it had been
SO often successfully hoodwinked before, and
satisfy the alert and clear-purposed south, the
presidency was certain. Stephen A. Douglas,
q statesman Of infinite resources, courage and
ambition. undertook the task. He adroitly put
the abolitiOnists of the north and the fire.
eaters OF the south IN the category Of disun-
~ionists, and then bid for that conservative sup
port which always controls in great crises.
Let the people Of all sections go as they list
with their property, whether chattels or slaves,
into the territories he said, and when
the period OF statehood arrives they can
decide by ballot whether they Will recognize
or exclude slavery, or that they may deter
mine the question in the territorial legisla-
lures.
This remedy capttvated the public mind,
but started a race between the free and slave
state people to capture Kansas. Bold raiders
from Missouri poured over the border carrying
murder and pillage among the free state set
tiers. Civil war with all its horrors ragged on
the plains OF Kansas.
The slave power, intrenched in the White
House and courts, and repeatedly and recently
sustained in the elections. felt confident that
extreme measures for securing Kansas could
be safely pushed. With the whole strength Of
the administration behind the cOnSpiratorS,
the LecomptOn constitution fastening slavery
on the new state was fraudulently adopted.
Douglas, alone, Of the democratic
leaders, opposed this and demanded
that the constitution should be submitted to
the people of Kansas. Douglas was hailed by
the northern wing of the party as its savior,
but the bred Scott decision demolished this
beautiful fabric Of Squatter sovereignty, and
q less resourceful or weaker man would have
been buried in It's ruins.
''Such were the political conditions when
Douglas entered the lists for reelection to
the senate from Illinois. One man blocked the
way, and with such tremendous force and superb
ability that his effort consolidated the free
sentiment of the country, abolished slavery
and saved the Union. That man was Abraham
Lincoln"
Mr.. Depew followed with n concise
history of Lincoln's life and showed
how thoroughly he was in sympathy
with the movement to abolish slave
ry. lie recounted at great length
the vigorous campaigns made by
the great leaders which eliminated
in the history-making debate at Gales
burg IS years ago to-day; dwelt upon
the characteristics of the two debaters
and showed with consummate skill the
points of each and their modes of at
tack. The famous passages at arms
by the two great men were rehearsed
and the well remembered words
cheered to the echo.
In closing DR.. Depew said:
Douglas was always n fighter and debater.
Lincoln consciously and Douglas unccnSciously
were preparing the people OF the free states
for the sacrifices Of civil war and the preserva-
ton OF the national life. 1t Is to the eternal
honor and glory Of Douglas that when the war
broke out the partisan became a patriot and
gave to his lifelong antagonist, President Lin
coin, his unqualified support
1.-The famous controversy over. the house di-
vided against ITSELF nowhere discussed more
bitterly than here on this platform. ended at
AppomattOx The house did not fall, but it
did become all free The new south, the peO-
pied west, the enriched east and the prosperous
north can calmly review the issues which so
radically divided them in the past and rever-
emily thank God that in the final conflict and
its settlement the leader of the forces OF union
and liberty was the great-hearted, brOad-
souled, wise-brained man OF love and charity,
Abraham Lincoln.
Hon. Robert T. Lincoln delivered q
brief address which was followed by
the unwilling of the tablet by Presi-
uSIS l. ALlSl D SS"A OAN hbSh.
The tablet is of bronze, with raised
letters, and is about eighteen inches
by two feet in size. The inscription
on the tablet commemorative of the
debate is as follows:
This memorial tablet is placed here to re-
call the joint debate between Abraham Lin
coin and Stephen a. Douglas, whose words
these walls echoed October the 9TH, 1888"
Equality among the different states is q
cardinal principle upon which all our institu-
lions rest. douglas.
He is blowing out the moral lights around
us who contends that whoever wants slaves
has a right to mold them.'"-Lincoln.
The unwilling address was then de-
livered by Senator Palmer. After the
exercises a reception was held at the
college until six o'clock. Ex-Gov.
Horace NJ. Boies, of Iowa, was expect
ed be present at the exercises, but he
could not attend.