The Honesdale citizen. [volume] (Honesdale, Pa.) 1873-1908, 1908-09-03
Courage OF Lincoln.

Inc celebration OF vnrlous Illinois
towns Of the flftieth anniversary Of
the Lincoln Douglas debates recalls
the most remarkable oratorical CON
terest In the nations history. Lincoln
and Douglas were rival candidates for
the Illinois senatorship. Lincoln was
the head Of the newly formed Repub.
hcan party in Illinois. Douglas, the
Democratic candidate, was seeking re-
election to the United States senate
The year was 1853. The slavery uues.
don was the question Of the hour, and
practical politicians were handling II
In very gingerly manner. Douglas
favored nonintervention with slavery
In the territories, a doctrine known as
popular sovereignty" and derided as
"squatter sovereignty" The day fol.
lowing his selection as candidate for
senator Lincoln, despite the determin.
ed opposition Of his friends and well.
wishers, went on record before the
Republican state convention as fol.
lows:
Gentlemen OF the Convention - II We
could hrst know where We nrc and With
er We ore tending, we could then better
Judge what TO do and how to do IT, We
are now far on into the NTH year since n
policy was Initiated with tho avowed OBJ
iect ana confident promise Of putting an
ehn TO slavery agitation. Under the op-
eraton OF that policy that agitation has
not only not ceased, but has continually
eusinented In my opinion It will not
a att ahntt
ed and passed. "a house divided against
iisclf cannot stand" believe this gov
ernment cannot endure permanently half
siave and half free l do not expect tho
Union 70 be dissolved. l do not expect the
houno TO fall. but I do expect that II will
cease to bo divided, II will become oil
ono thing or all tho other. Either tho op.
ponents OF slavery will arrest tho further
spread OF II and plaoo II whcro the pub
lio mind shall rest In the boiicf that Il Ia
IN course OF ultimate extinction or Its
advocated will push II forward TIL Il shall
become alike lawful In nll the states, old
as we'll az new. north as we'll as south.
Prophetic worisl What rennrkn.
BILE mental vision Of the future what
courage tho man who saw It possess.
ed! mo words 30 daring" says Stod.
dard. "No such unequivical state
ment Of the great problem had yet
been uttered by any man OF political
prominence and power"
Eleven out OF twelve leading men OF
Lincolns acquaintance who saw the
speech before It was delivered con-
demned the bold utternnce as mean.
ing the destruction Of the party nt the
hands Of its captain. as being the po-
litical death warrant OF the captain
himself. But Lincoln said, "If It must
be that go down because of this
speech. then let me go down linked
to truth-die in the advocacy Of what
is right and just"
Then camo the debates with Doug
las. They revealed to the entire Amer
lean people the commanding stature
Of Lincoln as consummate political
tactician and national statesman. Lin
coin compelled the Little Giant" to
face and commit himself upon ques-
tion either answer to which must BIO
fatal to him--it would lose him the
senatorship or ALLEVIATE from him the
south's support in the coming presi-
DENTAL campaign. Douglas won the
senatorship, but Lincoln, who pos
sessed far moro wisdom as well as
courage than his friends, actually
used the debates to defeat two years
In advance his most formidable presi-
DENTAL rival. Douglas attitude on
slavery pleased northern Democrats,
who nominated him for the preslden-
cy, but the south nominated John c.
Dreckinridge instead Of Douglas, and
Lincoln was elected.
The Lincoln Douglas debates led to
the fulfllment Of two OF the chief
propositions OF two Of the great found
ers Of the republic-that Of Jefferson,
that human slavery should be abol-
ished in all the states, and that OF
Hamilton, that this should be not a
mere league Of states. but an indis-
soluble union.