The National tribune., 1900-02-22

able and interesting on record. The
scenes connected with the different meetings
were intensely exciting. Vast throngs
were invariably in attendance, while a
whole Nation was watching the result.
AT Freeport," says an observer, Mr..
Douglas appeared in an elegant barouche
drawn by four white horses, and was re-
| ceived with great applause. But when Mr..
Lincoln came up, in prairie schooner, :
an old-fashioned canyas-covered pioneer
wagon-the enthusiasm of the vast throng
was unbounded."
At Charleston Mr.. Lincoln opened and
closed the debate. 1t was the fourth dis
| cuSSion, and there was no more doubt of
his ability TO sustain the conflict. Accord
ing to Mr. Arnold, Douglass reply to Lin
coin was mainly a defense. Lincoln's
close was intensely interesting and dra-
matte. His logic and arguments were
crushing, and Douglass evaSions were eX-
posed, with power and clearneSS that left
him utterly diScomfited. Republicans saw
| it, Democrats realized it, and sort of panic
| seized them, and ran through the crowd of
| upturned faces. Douglas realized his de-
feat, and, as Lincoln's blows fell fast and
heavy. he lost his temper. He could not
keep his seat; he rose and walked rapidly
up and down the platform, behind Lincoln,
| holding his watch in his hand, and obvi-
ousiy impatient for the call of time A
! spectator says: He was greatly agitated,
his long griZZled hair waving III the wind,
like the shaggy locks of an enraged lion
1t was while Douglas was thus exhibiting
| TO the crowd his eager desire to stop Lin
| coin, that the latter, holding the audience
entranced by his eloquence, was striking
| his heaviest blows. The instant the
| secondhand of his watch reached the point
at which Lincoln's time was up Douglas,
holding up the watch, called out: Sit down,
Turning to Douglas, Lincoln said calmly:
L will. | will quit. l believe my time is
up Yes, said man on the platform.
Douglas has had enough; it is time you
| let up on him"
SLAVERY THE LEADING ISSUE.
The institution of slavery was the topic
around which circled all the arguments in
these joint discussions. 1t was the great
topic of the hour; the important point of
division between the Republican and
Democratic parties. Mr.. Lincoln's ex-
position of the subject was profound, logi-
cal, and exhaustive. At the meeting in
Quincy his argument was strikingly lumin-
Gus and convincing. In closing the debate
he said:
Il wish to return 10 Judge Douglas my
profound thanks for his public annuncia-
ton here to-day, to be put on record, that his
system Of policy in regard TO the institution
Of slavery contemplates that it shall last
forever We are getting little nearer the
true issue OF this controversy, and am pro-
Judge Douglas asks you, Why cannot the
| institution of slavery, or rather, why can
| not the Nation, part slave and part free,
continue as our fathers made it forever?'
In the first place, | insist that our fathers
/ did not make this Nation half slave and half
free, or part slave and part free. insist
that they found the institution OF slavery
existing here. They did not make it so,
but they left it so, because they knew of no
way TO get rid of it at that time. When
Judge Douglas undertakes to say that, as
| a matter OF choice, the fathers of the Gov
ernment made this Nation part slave and
part free, he assumes what is historically a
falsehood. More than that; when the
| fathers OF the Government cut off the source
OF slavery by the abolition Of the slave
it from the new Territories where it had not
existed l maintain that they placed it
where they understood, and all sensible
men understood, it was in the course of
ultimate extinction; and when Judge
Douglas asks me why it cannot continue
as our fathers made it, ] ask him why he
and his friends could not let it remain as our
father made it? 1t is precisely all ! ask of
| nun IN relation to the institution of slavery,
that 1t Shall be placed upon the basis that
our fathers placed it upon. Mr. Brooks, OF
South Carolina once said and truly said,
| that when this Government was established
no one expected the institution of slavery To
last until this day; and that the men who
| formed this Government were wiser and
better than the men of these days; but the
men Of these days had experience which the
fathers had not, and that experience had
| taught them the invention Of the cotton
| gin, and this had made the rerpetuation of
the institution of slavery a necessity in this
country. Judge Douglas could not let ii
| stand upon the basis on which our fathers
| placed it, but removed it, and put it upon the
| cotton-gin basis. 1t is a question, there
| fore, for him and his friends 10 answer
why they could not let it remain where the
| fathers OF the Government originally
placed it,"
He said to a friend during the canvass: