The Saint Paul globe., 1902-01-16

should be used by Great Britain as a
pretext for war, ''he should not Shrink
from the contest" Well. war did not
come. England finally proposed that the
Ly torty5 ninth parallel be taken as the
boundary. On this basis the comprom-
Ise was effected and war probably there
by averted.
The compromise measure Of 1850, or the
omnibus bill, as it was called, has
been considered In other papers of this
series. That famous measure was really
the outcome of a discussion of slavery
and its territories into new territories
OougiaS stood with those other giants
webster and Clay-in support of that
Dill. In discussing the question of ad-
hitting nfnad slavery into the territories. he
ty,' that is, for the settlement of that
matter by the people of the territory
and not by congress. This was consis-
ways held he said, that the people
have the right to settle these questions
as they choose, not only when they come
INTO the Union as a state, but that they
territory
he history of Mr.. Douglas for which
Ne IS most remembered today centers
around the year 1858, when he held his
famous series of debates with Abraham
Lincoln, and the year 1860 when he and
Lincoln were opposing candidates for the
presidency.
The joint debates were mostly dis
cusslon Of the question growing out ot
slavery. Douglas in 1858 was a candf
date for reelection to the United States
senate and Lincoln was contestlng the
election with him. Which should be
chosen would depend upon whether a
majority of Democrats or of Republicans
should be chosen to the state legislature
OF Illinois. At this time Douglas was
regarded as the greatest debater in the
country. By many it was thought pre-
sumption on the part of Lincoln to enter
into discussion with 1.-THE Little Giant
Of Illinois. But the progress of the de-
bates proved his Justification It was in
these debates that Lincoln developed his
doctrine OF the utter destruction or the
complete establishment of slavery in the
United States. I'm my opinion" he said.
slavery agitation will not cease until
crisis shall have been reached and pass
ed. I believe this government cannoI
endure permanently half slave and half
free. 1t will become all one thing or
all the other"
In canvassing the state in those de-
bates Douglas was everywhere received
with boundless enthusiasm. There were
crowds, rejoicing, cheers and excitement.
Lincoln proved formidable antagonist
and the friends of each claimed that
their particular knight was the cham
pion of the lists. Douglas never spoke
with greater elOquenCe and power. His
most fundamental theme was the doc
trine of popular sovereignty, the princi-
pie that the people of each state should
be left to decide for themselves whether
they would or would not have slavery.
We all know the outcome of the battle
royal The Democrats carried the state
and Douglas was sent back to the senate.
But this remarkable contest did more
than decide the question of the United
States senatorship, 1t brought both Of
these men prominently to the front for
the presidency two years later We all
know the result. Lincoln was elected
and the mightiest conflict of the ages
was begun One after another the South
ern states passed ordinances Of seces-
sion and, before Lincoln's Inauguration.
had formed the Confederate States Of
America. In the meantime Douglas, for
the preservation Of tne Union. had pro-
posed an amendment to the constitution
forbidding congress ever to interfere
with slavery in the states. But the
amendment did not pass and the breach
continued to widen.
Although Mr.. Douglas had previously
acted on most occasions with the Soutn-
ern states where it came to a question
of dtsunion he did not hesitate He
stood squarely and heartily with Lin
coin in all measures adopted to put down
the insurrection. But he did not live to
see the end Of the bitter struggle Never
Of very robust frame and doubtless
weakened by the almost superhuman Ia
bors Of a. quarter Of a century. he dieG
in July, 1861, before the fighting of the
Civil war had fairly begun.
Copyright, 1901