Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-10-07
He Talks of the Noted Lincoln
Douglas Debates.
EULOGIZES GREAT War DEMOCRAT
Postmaster General Smith Follows
on Same Topic.
PARTY OFF TO CHICAG g o

campus of historic Knox College, where,
| ferty-one years ago, Abraham Lincoln and
| Stephen A. Douglas met in one of me-
| morable series Of debates to determine
which should occupy seat in the United
States Senate, President Mckinley and
Postmaster General Charles Emory Smith
| this morning delivered stirring addresses
commemorative of the contest between
those two great leaders of former days.
| The citizens of Galesburg turned out en-
| masse to honor the President of the United
States and the members of his cabinet, and
an opportunity was given them to greet
their distinguished guests as they were
driven in carriages through the streets of
| the city before the exercises at the college
began
The escort to the President, under COM
mand of Capt. Charles Craig. met Mr.. Nc
| Kinley at the residence of Col Clark E.
Carr minister to Denmark during the Har-
| riSon administration.
Prominent Men With the President.
In the carriage with President Mckinley
were Col. Carr, Mayor Carney and Justice
Alfred NJ Craig of the Illinois supreme
court The members of the cabinet, in COM
pany with DIR. John H. Finley. former pres
ident of Knox College, and other prominent
citizens of Galesburg, followed in long
line of carriages.
Everywhere along the line of march the
enthusiasm of the people was unbounded,
and when the college campus was reached
the President received great ovation.
Col Carr presided over the exercises, and
the Invocation was delivered by DR.. c. f.
Nash, president of Lombard University.
Representative George w. Prince welcom-
ed the President to the tenth congressional
district, and the greeting on behalf of the
people of Illinois was spoken by Senator
Shelby M. Cullom. The brief speech of the
r. lsrt0 hn c1r
attention, and punctuated throughout its
delivery with bursts of applause.
The President said:
The Presidents Speech.
Mr. Chairman and my Fellow Citizens:
The time and place make this meeting
memorable. Forty-one years ago on this
spot two mighty leaders representing op-
rosite ideas contended for mastery before
the tribune of the people. 1t was a con-
test which history will not fail to record;
and some are yet living to tell Of its in
teresting and thrilling story. 1t has been
recited around the family fireside, until TO
the people of Illinois it has become
household tale, inspiring love of liberty
and devotion to free institutions. Here
therefore, are sacred memories which will
be cherished by this community for all
time, and are permanently incorporated in
the life of the nation. Lincoln and Doug
las are inseparably connected in the pub
lie mind.
Their association began in a conflict and
ended in cooperation. They were in antag
onism for more than generation over
the Interpretation of the Constitution, and
were united at last when the Constitution
itself was assaled They might differ,
they did over the meaning of some of its
provisions, but when the crisis came they
stood together for its inviolabiity and for
the nseparability of the union it establish
ed. The one asserted the right of slavery
under certain conditions to enter the terri
tories, the other disputed that right under
any condition. but both agreed that the
slave power should not divide the Union.
Debate Became Historical.
1.-The debate was national and historical
| 1t commanded profound attention. 1t in
terested all sections. 1t was watched with
| deepest anxiety by the followers of both.
| 1t read and studied other public
| discussion before or since. 1t presented the
| best Of two conflicting schools of thought.
| 1t, was epochmaking and marked an epoch
| in our history. 1t touched the public con-
| science. 1t influenced public thought and
| purpose. 1t made the issue impossible of
! escape: it could no longer be avoided
| evaded 1t united the friends of liberty,
| well as those of slavery. 1t hastened the
| irrepressible conflict 1t was not the be-
ginning of agitation. but it carried it into
| the lives and homes of the republic, and no
! issue Is ever rightly settled until it is set
| tied there. 1t Is no little source of satiSfac
| ton that upon the great question presented
| in these debates. while Douglas carried the
| Legislature, Lincoln had majority OF the
| people.
THE torch Of liberty was not lighted here,
| but it famed forth with a broader. brighter,
| bolder light as it was lighted up by the
strong arm Of Abraham Lincoln.
| Three years-only three years-nterven-
| ed and the debate was removed from the
| arena of peaceful discussion to that of war
| and carnage. And then Lincoln and Dou-
glas stood no longer divided. Sumter was
| fred on April IL, 1861. On the 10Th of chat
| month Lincoln issued his call for 10000
| troops. The position of Douglas at this
| critical juncture was that of patriot
! Without hating or hesitation, he aligned
| himself upon the side Of the national gov
| ernment and threw the force of his great
personality in support of the executive
DOuelas' Memorable Dispatch.
Upon the occasion of his memorable visit
| to Lincoln Immediately after the first call
for volunteers he dictated to the repre-
sentative of the Associated Press dis
patch in these words:
| ".April 49, 1861
"'Senator Douglas called on the President
and had interesting conversation on the
present condition of the country. The sub
stance of 1t was, on the part of Mr.. Doug
las, that while he was unalterably oppoS
eL to the administration in all its political
issues he was prepared to fully sustain the
President in the exercise of all his con-
stitutionai functions to preserve the Union
maintain the government and defend the
federal capital. A firm policy and prompt
action was necessary. The capital was in
danger and must be defended at all haZ-
ards and at any expense of men and
money He spoke of the present and future
| without any reference to the past
| "'He no longer considered party. His sole
concern was for his country. He had no
sympathy with our enemies in the north
who openly secretly counseled the dis
| solution OF the Union. He was for the flag
and its cause, and the brave men who car
ried 1t had >blessing and prayers. His
patriotic course was mighty factor in
| molding Union sentiment and in uniting
the patriotism of the country and should
serve an example of good citizenship
and an inspiration to duty.
Name Cherished by Patriots.
Though Douglas espoused a cause doom
ed to defeat, yet his name was cherished
by patriots everywhere because when the
test came he was found supporting the
government and advising his followers to
uphold the constituted authorities. 1t is
the cause which lives. and it is the cause
which makes the men identified with ii i'm
mortal in history. Lincoln was the leade,
of the triumphant cause. Douglas, though
opposed to him for lifetime. supported