The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-10-11

TTELLlGENCER SUNDAY
anff-<szsery people He had brought the
&C e pa-asi~sfv new safe u Illinois 20 the
front rank - rhe national iegss2a-n-e. and
secGzson az IRE administration secured him
3 hundred erssr<ss for. every postmaster
dismissed He controlled The machinery
CO successful party, and had the prsstsse
ard power OF Al aggressive and trsanpaa-
ant oryansxa riors behind hAxa
Lincoln keenly felt the limitation OF
fc<4l reputation. tire res2o1s bsEfy CT his
position in = national crisis. and the lack
isv for the ask Doagaes could no<a de-
fe-I positions then generally conceded To
D. right. and attack principles which were
new and alarming IN practical politics
wnsr hard pressed he cosIIi retreat behind
tfrre-ho2c-ei pret13<ess and re.e-ea and
rnoss-cavered trai<rSo-s. Lincoln mus oe
always IN the open He had 70 attack. pun
down and build w. He lad <ha- most DIFF
Scai- task for an orator 10 separate wrong
from right when they have been 50 en-
rwlEeo for generations that 20 attempt 70
destroy the enc and save the other seems
20 tie slrnii a surgical operation which
may be splendid sxhiaseioR Of skll. e1;
death 20 the patient
The lnAaence Of the South.
The cotton-srowsng South was the horne
market for the food products and manu-
factares OF the North TIE money power
and business and social influences OF the
North were fearful Of offending the slave
owners Portions of the press and pulpit
OF the North were n harmony with that
uranamozis advocacy % the right and JUS
rsce OF slavery by the press ana pulpit o.
the South. which educated a generation OF
Southern state men 10 stake their lives and
fortunes FOR 20 them, sacred cause
There vas a saperssftious reverence for
the constitution and dread of the d.ssos1-
ton OF sae Union as infinitely worse than
surrender TO slavery. Four thousand NIL
lions OF dollars Invested In human beings
capital OF tina North engaged in business
connected with the siaye-holding states. 50
blinded honest. Intelligent and weil-Tnean-
ing people that TO them God and Manrnon
We're oEe.
No more important council ever gathered
than the conciavs OF friends summoned 70
Springfield by Lincoln that Re msgnS read
10 them his opening speech. The keynote
divided against Itself cannot stand be-
ieye this government cannot endure per-
uanentiy half slave and half free.
Il DO not expect the Union 10 be dis
solyed-l do not expect the house TO fall
but do expect L viii cease 10 be divided
1, viii become all one thing or all the OH
er- Ether the opponents OF slavery VIII
arrest the farther spread of IL, and place
il where the public mind shall resi- in the
belief thai X IS IN due course of ultimate
extinction. or its advocates VIII push II
forward until it shall become alike lawful
in al the stateS-oid as well as new. North
rs Wei as South"
Lincoln.s Moral Force.
The shrewd politicians about aim unani-
r1ouSly opposed his making this statement.
They said Douglas would seize upon and
use X TO arouse tie Union sentiment n
hls favor. and frighlen the t-nid from La
coin by claiming II 10 threaten dissoln-
ton OF tie Jnsca. LsncoErs answer was
the fist revelation 20 his advisers and the
country Of thai basic moral element in his
nature which ultimately found rs full ex-
preston in the proclamation o. emaacipa-
ton He said: Il would rather be de-
tested With these expressions in my speech
held up and discussed before the people
than he victorious without them.
Regardless of personal consequences or
the danger signals OF the hour. he lost the
senatorshlp and gained the presidency by
Illustrating in oosn speech and action MS
abiding faith that Gcd reignS. He intense
~ believed that false teachings. inherited
prsiudices, party loyalty and material in
ferests might eacrust the national con-
science. bnt that this could De broken by
the sledgenammer OF truth He knew that
20 ssmporlze with error Is 20 strengthen
its hold His prophets VISION. far-sighl-
ed craftsmanship and unQuestioning trust
il the final judgment OF those whom he de
lighted TO call the plain people were con
spicuously confirmed when 100000 of ciii-
zens answered mis- cali and left homes and
family and business 10 give their lives FOR
the Union and the flag.
II IS always the device OF party mana
gers who are corruptly using their power
10 charge that the resprmers who would
purify the organization Will destroy IL.
This simply means that they will ether
rule or ruin; but the threat dsce.yeS null
titudes. who cannot see that attacking
false leaders Is not assaIling the party.
Tens OF thousands OF weh-meaning men
believed that TO assail slavery was 10 en-
danger the Union. They could not under
stand that. while the Shareholders were
els.
forces. s.If YOU do not stop this agitation
you vii, dissolve the Union. they meant.
IF you do not leave slavery where II is
and permit It's extension where II Is not.
we will break ap the republic" IL Was
IkncoIns task 70 make this clear. and
place the responsibility for secession upon
those who seeded and for the rebellion
upon those who rebelle<i. and he did ii with
unequaied eloquence and power.
Douglas Effective Campaign Device.
the prevailing opinion. and played upon IL
with consummate skill. He declared the
doctrine or a house divided against Itself
was a declaration OF relentless sectional
war" He presented with tremendous
force the Union dissolved by this crusade.
the people and their institutions buried n
common ruin. and peace. prosperity and
perperuiiy with the Union saved hy his
the people OF the territories TO settle the
slavery question for themselves Gle In
famed popular prejudice by declaring that
the phrase ''ail men are created equal in
the Declaration OF independence did not
refer 10 negroes. and II Ikncola's 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 the
lovely girls from prairie homes plaint.vely
proela1ming by thetr banners that they
would not marry niggerS. lAncosls an
swer was memorable ana philosoplfle- Its
calm assertion OF a pyiuclpie rose far above
the catch-penny artitIce Of soph-siical Jug
FIERY He said: II do not understand the
Declaration OF Independence 10 mean that
all men are created equal IN all respects.
They are not equal in color. But believe
that IL does mean 10 declare that all men
are equal tn some eSpeces-t1ey are equal
in their right to life, liberty and the pur-
sa.t OF happiness
The Great Debate.
As the great debate proceeded the whole
country became the audience The discus
sion was rapidly naolding public opinion.
ties TIE people were eager students IN
national university. with tns Two most
eminent teacAers OF their time preparing
them FOR the Impending crisis Lircoins
views grew broader and higher. He again
summoned his trends and admirers. He
submitted TO them whether he should ask
AMI compel Douglas ~ answer the question
whether notw4tnsta nding the Drsd Scott
decision had declared that slavery was
lawful IN the territories under the cons1-
tuition. "ihe people OF a territory could IN
any IA wful way exclude slavery from -
limits prior 20 the formation o. a state
constitution :"
Tnls nakesily presented the deadly an
.agonas:n hetwee the DRIED Scott decision
and the popular sovereignty OF Douglas
IAfscolnS friends una ntm0as.y advised
against e. They knew his answer Sonld
De that the dectsson ef the supreme court
cosGli nos enforce itself. ard therefore. re-