Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-09-30

practical politics of the presidential
campaign Of 1860 has been buried be-
meath the glory of the Lincoln admins
tration and the horrors of the Civil War.
The political result of that campaign
was the promotion of the newly born
Republican party to power, the second
political revolution of American history.
For the first twelve years of govern
ment under the Constitution the Fed
eralists were In power. With the cleo
ton Of Thomas Jefferson an actual rev.
olution was accomplished and the power
of government was given to the Demo
cratic party. The Democrats ruled TOT
sixty years. Twice during that time the
wings elected a President, but there was
no practical interruption of Democratic
ascendeney. With the election OF Lin
coin, the Republican party assumed the
reins.
The first Lincoln campaign was marked
nv practical politics Mr.. Lincoln did
not make an active campaign Many OF
the Republicans were somewhat ashamed
of their candidate and none Of them, out
side of Illinois, brought the personal
equation into the discussion.
The fight ragged in It's greatest bitter
ness between the two Democratic candl-
dates. stephen A. Douglas and John C.
tional Union forces as the representative
Of extreme conservatism, but, like Lin
coin. he took no individual part In the
campaign.
DOUGLAS CONDUCTS
A MAsTERFUL CAMPAIGN.
Douglas, the little giant OF Demoe-
racy." stumped the country from New
England to Louisiana. A wonderful ora
tor earnest ass he was in his efforts TO
accomplish the salvation of the Union amt
believing that the only way to save II
was his way, the country never knew
before and perhaps never VIII know again.
such a mastery campaign. But u was
all IN vain. He had broken with the
South and with Buchanan. and not logit
nor reason nor oratory had power to heal
wounds so deep
Douglas was indirectly responsible Tor
the nomination OF Lincoln. Two years
before. In 1858, Lincoln had opposed
Douglas for reelection 10 the Senate
Their Joint debates In that year stu I've
in the memories OF men, and will live on
the pages of history for all time. Doug
las was the better speaker and he won
the election for Senator. But Lincoln
had pressed him close and had had the
eyes OF the whole country upon him.
1t was against the advice Of every
friend he had that Lincoln bore down
upon Douglas and asked him series OF
questions involving slavery In the terri
tories One question was: can ter
ritorial Legislature exclude slavery u IL
sees ft?" II Douglas had answered that
question Ia the negative, Lincoln wouid
have been elected Senator in 1913 and
might never have been President. But
Douglas said "Yesw That reply car
ried him back to the United States SEN
ate. caused Horace Greeley seriously to
propose Douglas for the Republican nomi
nation for President in 1860, broke the
Democratic party in twain and elected
Lincoln President.
THE STATUS OF SLAVERY
BECOMES CHIEF ISSUE.
Slavery IN the territories was the whole
issue. as It had been more or less for
half century. 1t was Thomas Jefferson,
a Virginia Shareholder, who wrote into
the northwest territory bin the provi-
sion that that territory should be Tor
ever free Of slavery. The question was
COMPROMISED In 1920 and In 1850 by Henry
Clay. The wilmot proviso. using the
exact language of Thomas JEFFERSON.
kept slavery off the Pacific coast. In
1884 by the act of Stephen A. Douglas
himself, assisted by Franklin Pierce. the
Missouri compromise Of 1870 was repealed
and the whole question Of slavery ex-
tension reopened.
The South held that the territories
were Federal and belonged as much to
thu slave States as 10 the free, and that
until they became States the Federal Con-
stitution was their only law. The Con-
stitution permitted slavery by Its silence.
and this theory would make them slave
territory. The North held that Con-
gress could legislate slavery out OF
territory, but could not legislate 1t IN
that the territories must be free. Doug
las took the middle ground, a position
which Clay would have supported. and
declared in favor Of ''popuiar sovereign
tyr-that is, of permitting the people
Of a territory to decide the slavery ques-
tion for themselves.
The Democratic National Convention
met at Charleston that year. The fight
on the platform was long and bitter, and
when It was seen that Douglas con-
trolled the conventiopaand the Douglas
platform would be adopted, the majority
If the southern State delegations with
drew from the convention. The regular
convention then adjourned to meet in
Baltimore. The boilers adjourned to
meet in Richmond. The Richmond con
yention met on time. but Immediately adj
journed to another day to await the ac-
ton Of the Baltimore meeting.
The regular" convention assembled in
Baltimore and the old fight broke OUT
afresh. Caleb Gushing Of Massachusetts,,
who was president of the convention,
finally became so Disguised with the