Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1912-02-20

eyes on the great Northwest cuuniry
beyond Missouri.
So the whole country was throw
again into turmoil by the prop6soc
Kansas Nebraska bin, which soughI
TO admit these states 10y virtual 'a.
peal of the Missouri Compromise al
lowing the people 10 vote whether
they should come in slave or free
This was the pet measure of Stcphta
a, Douglass, and his faNorite phras.
In defending the bil was, squat er
Sovereignty"
Pandemonium now arose The ap
forcement of the Fugitive Slave law.
which had already driven the North
to fury, was furthered by the Drcd
Scott decision, which was that a negro
who had been taken from Missouri
TO free state. had there been per.
mltted 10 marry ana had raise
children in the free state, had bcca
carried back TO Missouri, and haa
sued for the freedom, which the
higher courts denied him. Border
rufianism was rampant In Kansas
and Nebraska; Congress was In tur
moil, the pulpit, press nd every gath
ering of men were discussing the sit-
uation, until IT looked as II the stotn
would soon break.
AT this moment Abraham Lincoln
stepped upon the scene In 1857 ne
was candidate for senator. against
Douglass, ana in this campaign thch
memorable debates occurred. Lincoln
VS. not yet total northumberland
decision came later, but he held that
slavery must not be extended, for il
was an evil, and must be held in
check until It died. He determined
in the Springfield debate. to force
| Douglass to a declaration Of the
Dred Scott decision, asking him If he
held that the law could be enforced.
Friends tried to stop Lincoln from
asking this question, but Lincoln sai1
NO, / Will not stop. If We succeed
in bringing him to this point he VIII
say that slavery cannot actually exist
in the territories unless the people
desire 1t, which win offend the
SOUTH If he did not answer he
would injure his chances for the sell.
atorship; If he did answer he would
offend the South, for his pet doctrine
of "Squatter Sovereignty" not Only
opposed the enforcement of the Drea
Scott law, but also the spread of slav.
cry in the territories. "
Douglas did answer, and Lincoln's
prediction came true, viz, that while
he was elected senator, he offended
the South But while Douglass won
the prize of senatorship, he lost the
far greater prize of the presidency.
for the whole North awoke suddenly
to see that a star of the first magni-
tude had arisen, and, in 1860, Lincoln
was easily elected president.
vi. Final work.
Washington's task was two.fod, as
a general, and as president. Lincoln's
was the same, till he found Grant.
then he had the single task As a
general, Washington faced a task thqs
might well appall any man. A poro
ragged, unframed miserably euuipped
army, not much more than a crowd
OF straglers, as far as military
knowledge was concerned Then, ow
|,
were numerous desertions, and there
was much jealousy among the off
GERS. To top II all, he was compelled
to be prodding Congress almost incess-
antly to secure the needed supplies
and enlistments. The world presents
no drawer man than George Washing.
ton, lighting along through the years
of the war, against such terrible odds. ,
yet to such complete victory.
As president he found that be must
tread new ground and order must be /
brought out of complete chaos. The
scattered colonies must be welded n. .
to a Union, and with their diverse |
makeup this was a stupendous task. |
But he had some of the ablest help |
ers that any man ever had. Franklin, /
perhaps the most influential man of !
Revolutionary times, was perfect
tower of strength There were tile
two Adams, Samuel and John; there .
was jefferson, one of the greatest
men America has produced; Madison.
the polished gifted statesman. and
strongest of all, Alexander Hamilton.
perhaps the nearest a positive genius
of them all.
Lincoln as president, had terrible
task. 1t was all new to him, and
there were enemies inside the fold as
well as outside. He, also. had able
helpers, Seward. Chase and Stanton
being among the abest men of their
day. But there were jealousies among
them that made it very hard for the
president, until he firmly stopped a1y
possible effort on the part of any of
them TO usurp authority.
He is one of the worlds most stril,.
Ing figures during the dark DAYS of
the war, fighting his struggle through
almost alone, and assuming all re,
5ponsibility.
VII. Their character.
This is too hard task for writer.
but briefly this may be said. Wash
ngton was a handsome, reserved.
tingly type of man, an aristocratic
gentleman Of the very finest kind. He
vas not genius. perhaps but was :
In character, balanced I
o a remarkable degree. combining
act, prudence, wisdom and integrity
n most fortunate manner. He was
10 reserved that men found II hard
o approach him. especially during
he most trying period of the war.