The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-10-07
Where LincOIn and Douglas
Met Years Ago.
President Mckinley and Charles
Emory Smith
DELIVER ADDRESSES.
COmmemOratiOn of That Great
Contest.
Greeting of Illinois Extended
by Senator CullOm.

Galesburg, Ill, Oct. 7-On the campus
of historic Knox college where forty
one years ago Abraham Lincoln and
Stephen A. Douglas met in one of a
memorable series of debates to de-
termine which should occupy a seat in
the United States senate, President nc
Kinley 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
GaIesburg turned out en- masse to honor
the president of the United States and
the members of his cabinet and an op-
portunity 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.
command of Capt Charles c. Craig.
met Mr.. Mckinley at the residence OF
Col. Clark f. Carr, minister to Den
mark during the administration OF
President Harrison, where he spent the
night.
In the carriage with President Nc
KinIey We're Col. Carr, Mayor Fletcher
Carney and Justice Alfred NJ. Craig of
the Illinois supreme court. The mem
berS of the cabinet in company Win
DR.. John Finley, former president OF
Knox college, and other prominent citi-
zens of GaIesburg, followed in a 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 presl-
dent received a great ovation. Col
Carr presided over the exercises and
the invocation was delivered by Dr.
c. E. Nash, president of Lombard uni
versity.
Congressman George w. Prince well
coined the president to the Tenth con-
SrraSgiOnal district and the greeting
behalf Of the people of Illinois was
spoken by Senator Shelby NJ Cullom.
The brief speech of the president was
listened to with the closest attention
and punctuated throughout its delivery
with outbursts of applause.
THE PRESIDENTS SPEECH.
The president spoke as follows:
Mr. Chairman and Fellow Citizens:
The time and place make this meeting
memorable. Forty-one years ago on
this spot two mighty leaders represent
ing opposing ideas contended for mas
terry before the tribune of the people.
It was a contest which history will not
fail to record; and some are yet living
to tell of its interesting and thrilling
story. 1t has been recited around the
family f1reside until to the people OF
Illinois it has become a 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
Douglas are inseparably connected in
the public mind. Their association be-
gan in conflict and ended in cO-Opera-
tiOn. They were in antagOniSm for more
than a generation over the interpreta-
tion of the constitution and were united
at last when the constitution itself was
| assailed. They might differ as they
did over the meaning of some of its
provisions but when the crisis came
they stood together for its inviolability
and for the inseparability of the Union
I HI 1fCT7o no c1=c seln AH4ea
right of slavery under certain condi-
| tions to enter the terTitOries-the other
| disputed that right under any condi-
| tiOnS; but both agreed that the slave
power should not divide the Union.
1.-THE debate was national, historical
| 1t commanded profound attention. 1t
/ interested all sections It was watched
| with deepest anxiety by the followers
| of both. 1t was read and studied as no
/ other public discussion before or since.
! It presented the best of two conflicting
| schools of thought. 1t was epoch
! making and marked an epoch in our
! history. It touched the public con-
| science. It influenced public thought
| and purpose. 1t made the issue i'm
! possible of escape-it could be no longer
! avoided or evaded. 1t united the friends
/ of liberty as well as those of slavery.
( It hastened the irrepresSible conflict
It was not the beginning of the agita-
| ton, but it carried it into the lives and
| homes of the republic, and no issue 4s
| ever rightfuIly settled until it is settled
| there There is no little source Of sat
| isfaction that you on the great ques-
| ton presented in these debates while
| Douglas carried the legislature Lincoln
| had a majority of the people. The
| torch of liberty was not lighted here.
| but it famed forth with broader
! brighter, bolder light as it was lighted
| I'D by the strong arm Of Abraham Lin
/ coin.
"Three years-only three years-in-
| tervened and the debate was removed
| from the arena of peaceful discussion to
| that of war and carnage. And then
| Lincoln and Douglas stood no longer di-
| vided Sumter was fired on April II,
1851 On the 18th of that month Lin
I coin issued his call for $4,000 troops
| s.The position of Douglas at Shis
! critical iuncture was that of a patriot
| without hating or hesitation he align
| ed himself upon the side of the national
government and threw the force of his
great personality in support of the ex-
| ec1Itive Upon the occasion of his me-
morable visit to Lincoln Immediately
| after the first call for volunteers he
| dictated to the representative of the
! Associated Press a dispatch in these
"oiuS April IS, 1861
Senator Douglas called on the pres
ident and had an interesting converse
! ton on the present condition of the
! country The substance of it was, on
! the part of Mr.. Douglas, that while he
/ was unaIterably opposed to the adT-sin-
1 fstration in all its political issues ne
was prepared to fully sustain the pres1-
/ dent in the exercise of all his constltu-
/ tionaI functions to preserve the Union
Z maintain the government ana deIeho