The Elbert County tribune., 1920-02-06

fe'v. and the most of the people standing.
Democrats and Republicans packed into
solid mass together good-naturedly talking and
chafhne each other Upon the stage were seated
prominent of both parties. chairman and
secretary. and time keepers who had previously
been agreed upon. We're early in their seats. but
made no effort to restrain the great crowd until
after the speakers had arrived and received the
deafenng applause of their followers
1t was curious sight when the contestants
assembled to their places on the paltform-Lin-
coin was tall and Douglas short Lincoln
so angular and Douglas sturdy. Lincoln so
spare and Douglas compact and rotund. They
nlternated In opening and closing the debates
the opening speaker hour his competitor fol-
lowing with an hour and half, and the opening
speaker closing with half nn hour.
And the whole country realized the Importance
of this local Illinois contest. 1t understood
that this much a contest of men as of
principles. From the beginning all sembance of
a local personal struggle vanished. The eyes of
the nation were on the two champions Every
newspaper detailed their speech and action Every
speech published in full Men on either side
made the arguments of their champion their own
1t "Old Abe and "The Little Giant" over
again ut every crossroads. Illinois the po
tical and moral battle-ground of the nation.
And Freeport Lincoln made It plain that he
stood ready to sacrifice the senatorship in order
to advance the anti-snvery cause. AT the Ottawa
debate. six days before, Douglas had asked seven
questions to~f.incclns attitude toward the va
rious phases of slavery and Its management At
Freeport Lincoln answered these seven questions
frankly. He confessed his repugnance slavery
but said he did not believe In immediate drastic
action to abolish it. He opposed its extension
He declared II the duty of congress to pro-
hibit slavery in the territories. And then he put
In turn four questions to Douglas, of which the
second was the momentous question with the far
reaching results. IS
Lincoln put this question to Douglas against the
frantic protests of his friends and political ad-
vlsers They told him 1t would cause his defeat
and would lose him the senatorship. And Lin
coins reply this:
Gentlemen. am killing larger game. If Doug
las answers. he can never be president and the
battle of 1860 is worth hundred of this"
Lincoln. history has shown, was a 100 per
cent patriot and American. 1t is no disparage-
ment to add that shrewder politician ever ran
for office. To appreciate the shrewdness of this
particular move glance at previous events is
necessary.
The historic Missouri Compromise" act of 1920
prohibited slavery in the territories north of SO
degrees. thirty minutes latitude. This was re-
pealed and congress substituted for 1t Douglas'
Kansas Nebraska act of 1854. This empowered
the people of the territories determine for them
selves whether or not they should have slavery
Then came the "Dred Scott decision of the
United Suites Supreme court in 1857. This held
that congress has exceeded Its authority In the
passage dG the Missouri Compromise act; that
slaves property and that the owners of
slaves had the right TO take this property into
the territories and hold it there like any other
property, matter what the wishes of the people
of the territory in question. This decision was
the direct opposite of the doctrine of Douglas
Kansas Nebraska act The decision meant that
slavery could exist in Kansas. whether the Kansas
people not willing. Moreover 1t
opened the door wide for the extension of slavery
to the West and North.
When Lincoln ended his single In congress
in March Of 1S49 he practically gave up politics
and devoted himself his law practice. The
passage of the Kansas Nebraska act In 1854