The Ellensburg dawn. [volume] (Ellensburg, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1909-02-25

Like others oi us u"y A'uSo'" o"E'y
nrsged in politics. He served his
a,..,Ict iu the illinois legislature when
:. vss but twenty five years, and was
.l.c.ed to Congress when thirty-seven
!, 1873. he contested with stephen A.
Douelss for seat in the u. S. Sen.
.u In his earlier life, before no be-
anna . lawyer, he was farmer, fiat
h..,mau on the Mississippi river, post
natter. keeper OF q country store,
,.ptain Of q company in the Black
u.vk war, and surveyor. Thus lived,
Worked and grew this product OF the
irou,ier. Sad and joyous by turns;
outrageous yet sensitive, kind and con-
idera.e; gentle yet terror when
aroused Is many frontier bully could
hsys youched for. His life was not
,;,hou. romance. His love for Ann
Rutledqe, and her untimely death,
.aams 70 have for time almost plung-
a his mind into the depths OF despair.
II a said this sad memory chung TO him
until his death. However this may be,
h Is the fact that he was subject to its
ddeep melancholy down to the time
a hi death. Whether this was inner
mt 70 his nature; whether it was the
result Of the discouragements OF his
eerly life, and the unhappy life and sad
deash Of bis mother, or his unrequited
love for Ann Rutledge, will never be
kpovu. Abraham Lincoln did not en-.
10y talking about his early life.
Abraham Lipcoln's political advance
msut was not an accident. He was
ambitious. Had he not been ambitious
be never would have obtained the
Presidency Of the United States. But
biz ambition was not OF the kind that
"vooded him TO dreams OF glory"
The hardships OF his early life; his
Struggles to overcome his environ
neut 20 schooled him TO self control
hat when the time came when he was
called upon to govern a nation, he had
before learned TO govern himself He
had in riding the circuit in Illinois
hared . lesson that some OF the
worlds greatest men failed TO learn,
nd thereby fell pray TO their ambl-
ioo& Alaxender could conquer the
hordes Of Persians, but not his own
Nnions; Ceaser could triumph in a
hundred battles, yet fall victim to his
ambition TO be king: Napoleon could
conquer Europe, yet be destroyed by
BIZ ambition for glory.
II may be said that Lincoln's first
work Of national Importance was bis
great contest with Stephen A. Doug las
ms seat in the L. S. senate, in lsjs,
when be vas forty nine years OF age.
While Douglas won the race for the
eoate, be was forced by Lincoln TO
nke positions on the slavery question
that defeated his ambition TO become
Preddent- 1t has been said that Doug.
~ made Lincoln by his opposition.
There is no doubt but that the series
ddebates engaged in by these men in
nb campaign marked an epoch 10 the
history OF our government, and was the
dessrmining factor in the national cleo
doo Of 1850.
That Lincoln should hold his own
WIN Douglas in these debates, demon
"ntes beyond cavil that he was at that
a@e political giant. No less an au.
1esity than James G.. Blaine, ranks
ssphen A. Douglas as one OF three OF
@e greatest parliamentary leaders this
Uuntry has known. A biographer OF
u0uslas has said; "He was a man OF
"usrkable ability, hardly surpassed
"spolitical deDater, yet an unequal
Astcn Tor Lincoln, because of lack OF
ooaety which is the most character
Sac Of Lincoln's qualities. In the
sss& debate OF 1888, Mr.. Lincoln by
~ knowledge Of the underlying forces
~Palslcs, was able to force issues far
"e radically and effectively through
- speeches Of Mr.. Douglas than
"!Vugh Ri, own. Lincoln's mastery
-s"' OF sell suppression was hardly
'spected at the time, and few then
~" nave supposed that Douglas, &C
Umed to use language to express
w thoughts, was matched against u