spiration had splotched wide stains that resembled a dirty map of the continent." He blurted out his wrath and indignation to his associate counsel, declaring that if "that giraffe" was permitted to appear in the case, he would throw up his brief and leave it. Mr. Lincoln keenly felt the affront, but his great nature forgave it so completely that, recognizing the singular abilities of Mr. Stanton beneath his brusque exterior, he afterwards, for the public good, appointed him to a seat in his Cabinet.

CHAPTER X.

THE memorable campaign opened vigorously on both sides. Each of the leading candidates entered the field, seeking to so influence the State election that the new legislature might be in his favor. Speeches had been made by both, in Springfield, Chicago and Bloomington, where Mr. addressed the following note to his opponent:

"Hon. S. A. Douglas.

Lincoln

“MY DEAR SIR—Will it be agreeable to you to make an arrangement for you and myself to divide time, and address the same audiences during the present canvass? Mr. Judd, who will hand you this, is authorized to receive your answer, and, if agreeable to you, to enter into the terms of such arrangement. Your obedient servant, "CHICAGO, ILL. July 24, 1858.

66

A. LINCOLN."

In the correspondence which followed, Douglas acceded to the request, though demurring somewhat at first; and it was finally agreed that they should meet in joint discussion at seven different places, viz., Ottawa, Freeport, Jonesboro, Charleston, Galesburg, Quincy and Alton. In closing his last letter Mr. Douglas said:

"I agree to your suggestion that we shall alternately open and close the discussion. I will speak at Ottawa one hour. You can reply, occupying one

hour and a half, and I will then follow you for a half an hour. We will alternate in like manner at each successive place." It was arranged that the first debate should be held August 21, and the last one October 15.

These seven discussions now rank among the ablest forensic debates that have ever taken place in America, perhaps in the world. They were widely reported in the newspapers, but, as they were delivered without manuscript, the reports failed to do justice to them, and conveyed but an inadequate idea of their effectiveness. The whole country followed the course of the debates with great interest, and from that time Lincoln's reputation transcended sectional bounds and spread throughout the nation. The man who could meet and overcome in debate, Judge Douglas, the redoubted champion of the Senate, could no longer remain unknown.

The personality of the principals was reflected in their speeches. Douglas was fiery and impetuous, making his points with the brilliancy and dash of one who was assured of victory, because he had never known defeat, and with the adroitness which characterized the successful politician.

Lincoln was calm and straightforward. He was quick to see and able to take advantage of any weak point in his adversary's argument, relying less upon his eloquence and magnetism than upon frank statements and clear reasoning to convince his audience.

Douglas excited the more feeling at the time; Lincoln made the deeper and more lasting impression. Douglas was greeted with applause and congratula tion for the brilliancy of his efforts; Lincoln made

The more

friends for his cause and influenced votes. self-sacrificing of the two, he sought to magnify the cause while he held his own personal interests in the background. A declaration in his Chicago speech well illustrates this. He said: "I do not claim, gentlemen, to be unselfish. I do not pretend that I would not like to go to the United States Senate, I make no such hypocritical pretense; but I do say to you that, in this mighty issue, it is nothing to the mass of the people of the nation, whether or not Judge Douglas or myself shall be heard of after this night; it may be a trifle to either of us, but in connection with this mighty question, upon which hang the destinies of the nation, perhaps, it is absolutely nothing."

The contrast between the two men, in every way, could hardly have been greater, yet each felt that to win the victory would require his very best efforts, and went into the conflict with every power on the alert and every faculty in operation.

When Douglas was congratulated in advance upon the ease with which he would vanquish his opponent, he replied that "he would rather meet any other man in the country in this joint debate than Abraham Lincoln." At another time, he said: "I have known Lincoln for nearly twenty-five years. There were many points of sympathy between us when we first got acquainted. We were both comparatively boys, and both struggling with poverty in a strange land. I was a school-teacher in the town of Winchester, and he a flourishing grocery-keeper in the town of Salem. He was more successful in his occupation than I was in mine, and hence more fortunate in this world's goods. Lincoln is one of those peculiar men who

...

perform with admirable skill whatever they undertake. I made as good a school-teacher as I could, . . . but I believe that Lincoln was always more successful in his business than I in mine, for his business enabled him to get into the Legislature. I met him there, however, and had sympathy with him, because of the up-hill struggle we both had had in life. He was then just as good at telling an anecdote as now. He could beat any of the boys in wrestling or running a foot-race, in pitching quoits or in pitching a copper, and the dignity and impartiality with which he presided at a horse-race or a fist-fight, excited the admiration, and won the praise of everybody that was present. I sympathized with him because he was struggling with difficulties and so was I. Mr. Lincoln served with me in the Legislature of 1836, when we both retired, and he subsided, or became submerged and was lost sight of as a public man for some years. In 1846, when Wilmot introduced his celebrated proviso, and the Abolition tornado swept over the land, Lincoln again turned up as a Member of Congress from the Sangamon District. I was then in the Senate of the United States and was glad to welcome old friend." my

"1

The following estimate of Douglas by Lincoln is of interest in connection with the above: "Twentytwo years ago Judge Douglas and I first became acquainted. We were both young then, he a trifle younger than I. Even then we were both ambitious, I, perhaps, quite as much as he. With me, the race of ambition has been a failure-a flat failure; with

1 Browne.