Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1899-10-07
He was placed in most delicate
md difficult position. He was leader of

He was placed in a most delicate
and difficult position. He was leader of
the northern democracy which was af-
fected by the rising sense Of the sec
tion on the question of slavery. AT
the same time, as a believer in party
and party government--nay more, as a
lpatriot-he desired to preserve the un-
Iity of the party in both sections, and
as an avowed and justifiable candidate
for the presidency he had every inter-
est in its solidity. The conflicting ten
ldencies and demands strained his dex-
lterity to the utmost. He yielded to the
exactions that the Missouri compro-
mise should be abrogated, and reported
the Kansas Nebraska bill with the
fatal provision. He did it upon the
plea that it was required by the policy
of non-intervention in the territories.
and accompanied it with the doctrine of
popular sovereignty, which, with many
had captivating sound. But, when
the conspiracy of the I.ecompton con-
lstitution reared it's head he refused to
| go farther with 1t, and went forth like
another Hercules, and slew it. More
than any other influence, more than all
other forces his single handed and in
trepid warfare, in defiance of the ad-
lministratioh and the south. saved Kan
/ sas from that iniquity. These varying
attitudes brought fluctuating tides r
| his political fortunes. His participation
| in the repeal of the Missouri compro-
mise offended the sentiment which had
rested in that sacred settlement, and
exposed him to reproach and obliquy
But his heroic resistance to the Le-
compton wrong. while estranging the
south, reinstated him in the esteem Of
his own section, and crowned him with
the halo of fearless fighter and vic
torious champion of right.
Fresh from the triumphant but
hazardous battle, Douglas came to the
contest and debate over his election.
He came to it with extraordinary pow
lers for such a trial. He was the most
lfacile and trenchant debater of the day.
He had unrivalled skill in parrying at
tack and delivering blows. He was
fertile and resourceful, quick to see an
| open joint in the armor of his oppo-
nent and deft in piercing it. His
quiver was filled with every fact from
| the arsenal of political controversy
and he sent his shafts with unerring
lforce.
His oratory, while rarely rising to
eloquence, was direct. lucid, pungent
and sinewy. He swayed the masses. not
by the graces of rhetoric or the flights
of fancy, but by his virile strength, his
robust logic and his vehement ntens-
lity. To his devoted followers he was
the Little Giant, short and compact in
stature, but towering in leadership and
n hi
lgies.
His antagonist was of an altogether
different mold Mr. Lincoln had then
no such personal prestige as his rival.
He had PLAYED no important part on
the national stage. But within his own
Estate his rare attributes had placed him
lat the head of his..party. He had none
tof the arts of sophistry, and could not
seek to make the worse appear the
better reason. He was frank, ingenious
and candid. The tender of his mind
was philosophic rather than conten-
jtious. He searched for the truth, and
lin his faultless logic and profound con-
Eviction he followed the truth with he
roic fidelity to It's Irresistible conclu-
| sions. He was honest With himself
| and honest with his hearers. He aimed
at the enduring principle and not at the
| transient expediency or the monlantary
advantage. With all his openness. he
was singularly acute and subtle in un-
towering fallacy and unmasking decep-
| ton and always cool. self-poised and
good humored, always sure of his own
ground and penetrating the flank of his
opponent. he was dangerous antag-
onist even for the prince of debaters.
MIR Lincoln naugurated his cam
paign with that bold and memorable
declaration: A house divided against
Itself cannot stand I believe this gov
ernment cannot endure permanently
/ half slave and half free. | do NOT ex-
| lpect the union to be dissolved / do not
expect the house TO fall: but expect il
/ will cease to he divided. 1t Will be-
lcome all one thing or the other. Tiuid
lfriends had deprecated and advised
against this portentious deliNeranee.
They feared it would expose Lincoln
| and his party to the odious charge of
Idisunionispl. But Lincoln rejected the
trembling counsel and spoke lhe fate
lfu words. He had deeply reelected on
1.-THE mighty struggle and comprehended
Tits full and far-reaching import. There
are tmes-we have ourselves been
witnesses of such an eventful time
when the chosen and destined leader 81
la historic movement, rising above the
doubts of the hour and the misgivngs
/ of the halting, must rely on his own
sure and saving sense and on his own
communion with the future. and in
such crisis the true leader takes the
Responsibility Mr.. Lincoln was pro-
claiming truth and not purpose, and
was dealing with fact and not a plan.
History had indicated the prophetic
vision, and even for the Immediate con-
/ test he was wise He saw a conflict
which would only end in the supremacy
of one idea or the other. and he sought
| to allay strife and assure peace by
bringing the country back to the posi-
ton of the father, where controversy
would cease in the accepted faith
that slavery was in course of ultimate
extinction.
douglas instantly seized on Lin
coins declaration and used it with
artful power. He pictured the union
as having existed half freed, half slave,
for over eighty years, strong in its very
diversity, and skilfully appealed TO the
lpatriotic union sentiment against what
he denounced as a proclamation of sec
tional war. Lincoln, who had deliber-
ateiy measured his ground. never fall
tered, but calmly and candldly justified
his statement of a basic truth, and