The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1920-10-02

PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGNS.
X.-The Lincoh-D Doug las-Breckinridse. I'm
Campaign.

Washington. D. c.. Sept n
Mach Of the practical politics Of
the presidential campaign Of 1880
has been buried beneath the glory
Of the Lincoln administration 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 1lrst IL years Of govern
ment under the Constitution the
Federalists were In power. With
the election Of Thomas Jefferson
IN actual revolution was accom-
plished. and the power Of govern
.ment was given to the Democratic
party. The Democrats ruled for
60 years. Twice during that time
the Wings elected . president, but
there was no radical interruption
Of Democratic ascendency. With
the election of Lincoln, the Repub-
lican party assumed the reins OF
power and held them IS years.
The two Cleveland administrations
checked, but did not stay the Re-
publican march.
The first Lincoln campaign was
marked by practical politics. Mr.
Lincoln did not make an active
campaign. The Republicans con-
tented themselves with continued
denunciations of border rufnan-
ISM" Many Of them were some
what ashamed of their candidate
and none Of them. outside Of liz
nois. brought the personal equation
into the discussion.
The fight ragged in its greatest
bitterness between the Democratic
candidates, Stephen A. Douglas and
John c. Breckenridge. John Bell
led the Constitutional Union forces
as the representative Of extreme
conservatism. but, like Lincoln. he
took no individual part in the cam
paign.
A Famous Speaking Tour
Douglas, the little Giant Of De-
mocracy," stumped the country
from New England to Louisiana. A
wonderful orator, earnest as be
was in his efforts to accomplish
! the salvation of the Union and be-
lieving that the only way to save
it was his way; the country never
knew before and perhaps never
will know again such a mastery
campaign. But it was all In vain
He had broken with the south and
with Buchanan, and not logic mol
reason nor oratory had power 10
heal wounds so deep.
Douglas was indirectly response
BILE for the nomination Of Lincoln
Two years before, in 1858, Lincoln
had opposed Douglas for reelection
to the senate. Their joint debates
in that year still live in the mem
cries 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.
It was against the advice OF
every friend he had that Lincoln
bore down upon Douglas and asked
him a series of questions involving
slavery in the territories. One
question was: Can a territorial
| legislature exclude slavery il 1t sees
fit?" II Douglas had answered tina,
question in the negative, Lincoln
would have been elected senator in
1858 and might never have been
president But Douglas said "Yes!'
That reply carried him back to the
United States senate, caused Hor-
ace Greeley seriously to propose
for the Republican nomination fol
president in 1860. broke the Demo.
cratic party in twain and elected
Lincoln president.
The Status Of Slavery.
! Slavery in the territories was the
whole issue, as it had been more Of
less for half a century. 1t was
Thomas jefferson, a Virginia slave
holder, who wrote into the North
West Territory bill the provision
that that territory should be for
lever free from slavery. The ques
ton was compromised in 1920 ant
in 1850 by Henry Clay. Tbs VIII
mot Proviso, using the exact Ian
guage of Thomas Jefferson, KEEP
slavery off the Pacific coast. II
1854, by the act of Stephen A. Doug
las himself, assisted by FRANKLIN
Pierce, the Missouri Compromise o.
1920 was repealed and the whole
question of slavery extension re
opened. !,
The south held that the terri
tories were federal and belonged
as much to the slave states as Il
the free, and that until they be
came states the federal constitu
ton was their only law. The con
stitution permitted slavery by III
silence, and this theory woult
make them slave territory. Thu
north held that congress coul'
legislate slavery out Of territory
but could not legislate it in-tha
the territories must be free. Doug
las took the middle ground, a pc
sition which Clay would have sup
/ ported. and declared in favor O