The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1896-05-30

TILE IRISH
reelected to the legislature In 1889 both
We're admitted to practice in the state SUI
preme court. In 1910 Douglas became Sec
rotary of state of Illinois, and In the same
elected a member of the state supreme
court In, 1910 Douglas and Lincoln sought
the same lady for a .Wife, and Lincoln won
her
Douglas went to congress for the second
time in 1874, when Lincoln was for the
first time candidate for the same office,
and was defeated for the nomination.
In 1846 they met. again on even terms
politically, as members of the lower house
Of congress, but the star Of Douglas was
still rising. and in the following year he
was elected to the United States senate.
He was "a years old.
At the close of his term in congress Lin
coin dropped out Of sight. He had been
failure as a congressman. His position on
the Mexican war question not only put
him under cloud, but it defeated his
party in his district at the next election.
From surface appearances he was coun-
try lawyer, while his young rival was one
of the most brilliant stars in the political
heavens.
Lincoln, the athlete was in secret train
Ing before the race. Douglas, the coacher,
was preparing the course and the people OF
Illinois, looking on, mistook him for the
principal
In 1852 Douglas was reelected to the
senate. In May, 1864, he launched the
Kansas-Nebraska bill. It made him the
leader of his party and the champion of
the slave trade. 1t annuncia.ted the doc
trine Of Popular Sovereignty" 1t main
tanned the right of the people of the terri
tories to regulate their own domestic af-
fairs. and under this construction. it meant
the spread and perpetuation of human
slavery.
The resting athlete reused at this def
ant note and demanded trial race Doug
las granted It. The joint debate of 1854 en-
sued and ceased unfinished by Douglas
crying quits. He was not defeated, nor
was his political lustre dimmed, but to him
who could see clearly the debate brought
the athlete to view. The coming cham
pion was in sight. Lincoln had interpret
ed the Kansas-Nebraskab bill to mean that
IT one man attempts to enslave another
man no third man has right to interfere.
That Interpretation opened the eyes and
quickened the pulse of every discouraged
abolitionist in the land.
Again they met in 1858, in the last of the
trial races. They were giants now and the
eyes Of the whole world were upon them.
Always representing opposing IDEAS they
met for the first time opposing for the
same office-the United States senator
ship. Douglas won, for his cause was still
In the ascendant but the end had had it's
beginning. Lincoln challenged Douglas to
debate the greatest question free people
had ever considered. Skillful politician
that he was, Douglas dreaded the encoun-
ter, but he was too brave and honest to
decline the challenge: That debate was
the most momentous in history, for it fixed
the fate of the greatest modern nation. It
defined the then obscure issue so that the
smallest mind could grasp it's full mean
ing. Douglas was loyal union man, and
he stood with Lincoln on the ground that
the national government possesses inner
emily all the powers necessary to it's exist
ence. They were above all men the mas
tiers of the question, and when Douglas an
swered Lincoln's four questions, and Lin
coin answered the seven propounded by
Douglas, the death tick of slavery and dis
union was heard in the land.
It was during this debate that Lincoln
first delivered at Lewiston, ILL.,, his speech
on the Declaration Of Independence. He
addressed an audience Of less than 400 peo-
pie from the steps of the county court
house. A few days before Douglas had
spoken at Lewiston and his audience was
the greatest ever seen in the country. A
citizen of: Lewiston, who, as young
man, heard Lincoln's speech, related the
experience few years ago to Gov. Thayer,
of Nebraska. Thayer, in his lion voice and
tragic manner, replied: Il would rather
have sat there with you, sir, on the steps
of that court house, at Lincoln's feet, and
heard that speech, than to have been with
Moses on Siani when he delivered the law
to the people!'
In 1860 Douglas and Lincoln met again,
as candidates for: president. Above the
candidacy Of Douglas was banner pro-
claiming the principle that the constitu-
ton carried slavery into the territories.
Lincoln's banner was inscribed with his
own words: "The further spread of slav-
cry should be arrested, and it should be
placed where the public mind shall rest in
the belief of it's ultimate extinction"
The last time President Lincoln and Sem
ator Douglas met was in Washington, the
day after the firing on Fort Sumter. Doug
las, loyal to the union, hurried to Lincoln
and offered his services. He asked
whether he would remain in Washington
or return to Illinois to keep it in line.
Southern Illinois-"Egypt'-w then
rebel hotbed. Lincoln advised him to go
home. They grasped hands in friendship
and parted forever. A few weeks later
Douglas died in Chicago, June 3, 1861.
Stephen A. Douglas was one of the most
brilliant and forcful men in national
history. He is honored by the nation and
the state of his adoption, and he will re-
ceive the highest place in history as one of
the chief instruments in the glorious de-
sign which gave Abraham Lincoln to man
kind re