Kansas City daily journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1892-1897, 1897-02-13
MR.. LINCOLN WELCOMED.
the LincoIn-DOugIass Debate
Mt GaIesburS, Ill.

Topeka, Kas., Feb. 12.-(Special) Hon.
Thomas G. Frost, father of John E. Frost,
land commissioner Of the Santa Fe deliv-
cred the address of welcome to Abraham
Lincoln on the occasion of the Lincoln
Douglass Joint debate at Galesburg. ILL.,, in
october. 1855 Reproduction of the address
is timely, in connection with the reports of
celebrations all over the country of Lin
coins birthday. Mr.. Frost spoke as fol-
lows:
Mr.. Lincoln, Sir:-It becomes my pleas
ing duty on this occasion, in penaif of the
citizens of this place, and especially, of
that large proportion of them whose 'polit-
icaI sentiments correspond with your own,
to tender to you at this time their cor
dial and hearty greeting, and in doing this
it is impossible that they should be un-
mindful of the circumstances under v.hich
We have met or of the causes which have
brought us together. While we would give
a free and suitable expression of our sem
timents of personal esteem, we deem it
proper at this time TO take this public op-
portuntty TO recognize the position You
occupy as the chosen champion OF the Re-
publican hosts of this state N the great
contest upon which we have entered.
While we would avoid all that fulsome
| adulation which high public standing and
official position are apt to call forth, and
which IS SO dtstasteful to your own feel
.Ings and SO foreign to your character, We
cannot, If we would, conceal the intense
satisfaction we have experienced as we
| have witnessed the sagacity the CandOr
and the courage with which YOU have
| hitherto conducted this campaign Public
men, from the necessity of the case be
come identical with public interests be-
| come the representatives of cOntsnding
| parties and the exponent and embodiment
! of opposing measures of public policy, and
| while this is the natural and inevitable re-
| suit of their position, their public conduct
| becomes a proper subject of criticism ard
| justly challenges the condemnation or ap-
| proval of the PUBLIC judgment When.
| through a severe and arduous struggle. ii
| has devolyed on you TO sustain the prin-
! ctpies and defend the honor of the Re
] publican party. We feel that it is but right
| that you should know that we have not
! been idle or unconcerned spectators of tie
! battle that Is waging or the scenes that
| this very day are enacting about us; that
| You do not stand alone; that We are fellow
! soldiers, in a common cause; that in every
! inch OF territory that is gained and every
blow that is dealt out to the common foe
| you have the hearts, the efforts and the
votes of faithful and determined support
| erS TO encourage and sustain you.
Your antagonist in this contest (whaT-
| ever may be his FAULTS is an antagonist of
| no ordinary stamp. His name, in fact,
| stands intimately connected with those
| great events out of which this controversy
| has arisen and which have mainly origi-
| mated the present relative position of the
| two great political parties which divide
| this country. But it is not the mere per-
| Sonal character of the prominent actors
| of this days proceedings which invests
| them with their chief interest II is the
| fact that in the persons of the respective
| candidates for the senate of the United
| States now before the public are concen-
| trated those great opposing principles that
at this day and this hour are struggling
for the mastery over the heart and senti-
/ ment of the nation. The system of public
policy which your distinguished competitor
claims the chief honor of inaugurating. is
the system which you Combat-commenCiug
! with the repeal of the Missouri cOnlDrp-
mise AM followed up by every expedient
| which political strataEem could devise, or
! federal power could execute. to crush out
| the spirit of freedom in the territory of
/ Kansas; to strange in its birth an infant
| state, or to bring it into the Union. If IL
! came at all. no longer outlined with the
| genius and expression of the prowess of
a free and rising people. hut with its en-
/ CrgieS all enfeebled. its spirit broken "A
I the altar OF slavery aggression in our land.
| II is no matter of surprise that the dis
tant mutterinss of popular indignation
should have at length attracted the ear
of the author Of this iue or public policy
and compelled him for once to palise in
view of the dire results it portanded a
policy. which. whatever may have been
! the motives which prompted its adoption.
has already proven in its sequel hut one
dark and unbroken catalogue of folly and
! OF Crimc-a policy which, under the Dre-
text OF giving TO the citizens of a territory
| the largest possible measure of political
1 independence. has, in the name of popular
sovereignty. robbed them of every right
dcar to enlightened people. and trampled
| on every interest which government was
ever organized TO protect
The hope was fondly indUlEed even by
many of our own political faith. that Iht.
sober second thought leading 10 wiser
ssntial change In the views of she author
OF this Scheme. That hope. IL Is needless
to say. Is now satireiy diSsipated and We
are again forced to The conclusion that the