Los Angeles herald., 1905-02-12

became Dossihle for slavery 10 be eS-
tablished in the then territories Of
Kansas and Nebraska, whenever they
should adopt state constitutions and be
admitted into the union. Douglas was
the chief champion of the repeal and
ON that he based his pet theory of
popular sovereignty" He was ready
end anxious to defend his theory on
the stump whenever occasion offered.
And he did It with great earnestness
and consummate skill But in the Whig
barty OF the north there was a power
full anti-slavery element, which, though
not committed to abolitionism, viewed
with alarm the steady encroachments
of the slave power, and would under
no conditions acqulesce i'm the intro
duction of the institution of human
slavery into territory which was sup
posed to be forever dedicated TO free
dom.
In the front ranks of the anti-slavery
wings stools Abraham Lincoln, and
he had reason for the anti-slavery
principles which he was neither
ashamed nor afraid to promulgate. On
the occasion referred to Mr.. Douglas
addressed an immense mass meeting
i'm the. forenoon, Mr.. Lincoln being in
the audience listening carefully and
'taking notes" Douglas spoke elo-
duently and fervently. He was listened
to respectfully by Wings and wildly
appauded by Democrats. In the
course of his peech, he asserted that
the Wings were "all dead"
His Reply to Douglas
In the afternoon. by appointment,
Lincoln replied to the Little Giant
The audience completely filled the
room. there being quite a sprinkling
of Democrats present. For some time
before beginning to speak, Lincoln sat
on the platform with only his homely
face visible to the audience above the
high desk before him. On being intro
duced he arose from his chair and pro-
ceeded to straighten himself up For
a few seconds | wondered when and
where his head would cease its ascent
but at last it did, and Honest Old
Abe" stood before us. After the APP
plause with which he was greeted had
measurably subsidized, the speaker
said:
"Fellow citizens My friend Mr..
Douglas made the startling announce
ment today that the Wings are all
dead. If this be so, you will now eX-
perience the novelty of hearing a
speech from dead man. And l sup
pose you might properly quote the
language of the old hymn:
'Hark, from the tombs a doleful
sound'"
This unexpected sally of wit set the
audience fairly wild with delight, and
at once brought them in full sympathy
with the speaker. AS soon as the pro-
longed laughter and cheers would per-
nit him again to be heard, Lincoln
proceeded to discuss the merits of the
speech made by the eloquent cham
pion of popular sovereignty" He
analyzed the arguments and tore open
the sophistries of his opponent in "a
mastery manner, showing by incon-
troVertible facts how dangerous to hui
man liberty were the teachings Of
Douglas and his coadjutors. For in
cisive logic. solid facts, sparkling wit
and thrilling eloquence Lincoln's
speech was remarkable. 1t stamped
him as a statesman of commanding
ability, and more than one person
who listened to him was afterwards
heard to say: "Old Abe will yet be
president of the United States"
The next time [ saw Lincoln alive
was at the White House in Washing
ton, in the fall of 1864. He had served
the public as president one term and
was then a candidate for reelection.
While stroling through the White
House grounds / learned that military
band was about to serenade the presi-
dent, so | went to the north Veranda of
the executive mansion, where the band
played several popular airs. In due
time the president came out, bowed 70
the throng, and in response to an ir-
resistible clamor, made brief speech
in His happiest vein. But he looked
haggard and care-worn. There was
an expression of intense sadness on
his face, as if the shadow of some
terrible calamity to come had fallen
upon the man who carried in his heart
the burdens of the nation. Sitting on
the veranda close to where the presi'
dent stood, l happened to notice his
feet. In the side of his boot was q
hole nearly an inch long, through
which his white sock was plainly Wis
ible. This harmless gap simply con-
drmed the popular belief that "Old
Abe" was inclined to be careless in his
, dress. He no doubt was careless as
to details though he was certainly
, neat and cleanly in his habits.
Last of Lincoln
The next and last time l looked upor
the face of Abraham Lincoln it was
cold in death 1t was in April, 1865, His
= remains were lying in state at the city
A hall New York, and the nation was II
S mourning. OF course everybody in ant