the life of stephen a. douglas-第24节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　national　back　to　be　constitutional；　even　though　the　Court　had　decided　it　to　be　so。　　The　declaration　that　Congress　had　not　power　to　establish　a　bank　was　contained　in　every　Democratic　platform　since　that　time；　in　defiance　of　the　solemn　ruling　of　the　Court。　　In　fact；　they　had　reduced　the　decision　to　an　absolute　nullity。　　And　still　Douglas　boasted　in　the　very　speeches　in　which　he　denounced　others　for　opposing　the　Dred　Scott　decision　that　he　stood　on　the　Cincinnati　platform　which　repudiated　and　condemned　the　old　bank　decision。　　He　was　for　Supreme　Court　decisions　when　he　liked　them　and　against　them　when　he　did　not　like　them。　Would　he　not　graciously　allow　the　Republicans　to　do　with　the　Dred　Scott　decision　what　they　did　with　the　bank　decision？

Springfield　was　Lincoln's　home。　　He　knew　his　audience　and　met　it　with　confidence。　　He　now　felt　that　he　was　Douglas'　equal　in　the　field　in　which　he　had　hitherto　eclipsed　all　rivals。

But　it　was　evident　that　the　current　was　running　with　Douglas。　The　great　reception　at　Chicago　had　been　a　glorious　opening。　　His　journeys　through　the　State　were　triumphal　processions。　　Special　trains；　splendidly　decorated；　were　at　his　service。　　Military　escorts　received　him　with　the　firing　of　cannon　and　the　loud　music　of　bands。　　He　commanded　and　marshaled　with　the　skill　of　a　great　artist　all　the　pomp　and　circumstance　of　victory。　　He　owned　much　property　in　Chicago；　which　with　the　growth　of　the　city　had　greatly　increased　in　value。　　He　mortgaged　this　for　campaign　funds；　borrowing　eighty　thousand　dollars；　a　debt　that　harassed　him　to　the　grave。　Wealthy　friends　contributed　freely　and　the　campaign　was　run　regardless　of　expense。

Yet　with　all　these　advantages　the　contest　was　evidently　a　hard　one。　Two　years　before；　the　combined　Republicans　and　Whigs　of　the　State　outnumbered　the　Democrats　by　nearly　thirty　thousand。　　The　Whig　party　was　breaking　up。　　It　was　a　serious　question　of　practical　politics　whether　they　would　drift　to　the　Democrats　or　the　Republicans。　Illinois　comprised　two　utterly　distinct　communities。　　The　northern　part　of　the　State　was　settled　by　people　from　New　England　and　the　Northwest。　　The　Southern　part　was　settled　from　Kentucky　and　the　other　Southern　States。　　The　growth　of　Chicago　and　the　rapid　development　of　the　northern　counties　had　made　the　State　extremely　doubtful　even　for　Douglas。　　To　any　other　man　his　task　was　hopeless。　　In　the　north　the　anti…slavery　sentiment　was　strong；　even　to　fanaticism；　and　many　of　his　own　supporters　prayed　fervently　for　the　arrival　of　the　day　when　slavery　would　be　blotted　from　existence。　　In　the　south；　though　slavery　was　prohibited　by　law；　it　was　cherished　in　the　hearts　of　the　people　who　remembered　with　warm　affection　the　old　homesteads　in　Kentucky　and　Tennessee。

Lincoln　had；　with　more　frankness　than　discretion　announced　his　views　on　the　great　question。　　It　was　supremely　important　to　compel　Douglas　to　explicitly　declare　himself；　to　hold　him　down　to　the　dangerous　issue　and　force　him　to　speak　plainly。　　Each　had　the　disadvantage　of　pleasing　one　section　of　the　State　at　the　cost　of　offending　the　other　section。　　But　Douglas　was　further　embarrassed　by　the　necessity　of　avoiding　offense　to　the　slave　holding　States　of　the　South。　　He　was　a　candidate　not　only　for　the　Senate；　but　also　for　the　Presidency。





Chapter　XIV。　　The　Debates　with　Lincoln。




Chicago；　Ill。；　July　24；　1858。　　〃Hon。　S。　A。　Douglas：

〃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　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　an　arrangement。

〃Your　obedient　servant；

〃A。　Lincoln。〃

This　is　the　note　received　by　Douglas　a　week　after　his　return　from　Springfield。　　On　the　same　day　he　returned　the　following　answer：

〃Chicago；　Ill。；　July　24；　1858。　　〃Hon。　A。　Lincoln：

〃Dear　Sir：Your　note　of　this　date　*　*　*　was　handed　me　by　Mr。　Judd。　　*　*　*　I　went　to　Springfield　last　week　for　the　purpose　of　conferring　with　the　Democratic　State　Central　Committee　upon　the　mode　of　conducting　the　canvass；　and　with　them　*　*　*　made　a　list　of　appointments　covering　the　entire　period　until　late　in　October。　　The　people　of　the　several　localities　have　been　notified　of　the　times　and　places　of　the　meetings。　　*　*　*　I　cannot　refrain　from　expressing　my　surprise；　if　it　was　your　original　intention　to　invite　such　an　arrangement；　that　you　should　have　waited　until　after　I　had　made　my　appointments；　in　as　much　as　we　were　both　here　in　Chicago　together　for　several　days　after　my　arrival；　and　again　at　Bloomington；　Atlanta；　Lincoln　and　Springfield；　where　it　was　well　known　I　went　for　the　purpose　of　consulting　with　the　State　Central　Committee　and　agreeing　upon　the　plan　of　campaign。　　*　*　*　I　will；　in　order　to　accommodate　you；　as　far　as　it　is　in　my　power　to　do　so；　take　the　responsibility　of　making　an　arrangement　with　you　for　a　discussion　between　us　at　one　prominent　point　in　each　congressional　district　in　the　State；　except　the　Second　and　Sixth；　where　we　have　both　spoken　and　in　each　of　which　you　had　the　concluding　speech。　　If　agreeable　to　you；　I　will　indicate　the　following　places　as　the　most　suitable　in　the　several　congressional　districts　at　which　we　should　speak；　to　wit：　　Freeport；　Ottawa；　Galesburg；　Quincy；　Alton；　Jonesboro　and　Charleston。　　*　*　*

〃Very　respectfully；　your　most　obedient　servant；

〃S。　A。　Douglas。〃

Lincoln　replied：

〃Springfield；　July　29；　1858。

〃Hon。　S。　A。　Douglas：

Dear　Sir：Yours　of　the　24th　in　relation　to　an　arrangement　to　divide　time　and　address　the　same　audiences；　is　received；　and；　in　apology　for　not　sooner　replying；　allow　me　to　say　that；　when　I　sat　by　you　at　dinner　yesterday；　I　was　not　aware　that　you　had　answered　my　note；　nor；　certainly；　that　my　own　note　had　been　presented　to　you。　　An　hour　after；　I　saw　a　copy　of　your　answer　in　the　Chicago　Times；　and　reaching　home　I　found　the　original　awaiting　me。　　*　*　*　As　to　your　surprise　that　I　did　not　sooner　make　the　proposal　to　divide　time　with　you；　I　can　only　say；　I　made　it　as　soon　as　I　resolved　to　make　it。　　I　did　not　know　but　that　such　a　proposal　would　come　from　you；　I　waited　respectfully　to　see。　　*　*　*　I　agree　to　an　arrangement　for　us　to　speak　at　the　seven　places　you　have　named　and　at　your　own　times；　provided　you　name　the　times　at　once；　so　that　I；　as　well　as　you；　can　have　to　myself　the　time　not　covered　by　the　arrangement。　As　to　the　other　details；　I　wish　perfect　reciprocity；　and　no　more。　I　wish　as　much　time　as　you　and　that　conclusions　shall　alternate。　That　is　all。

〃Your　obedient　servant；

〃A。　Lincoln。〃

On　the　next　day　Douglas　wrote：

〃Bement；　Piatt　Co。；　Ill。；　July　30；　1858。

〃Dear　Sir：Your　letter；　dated　yesterday；　accepting　my　proposition　for　a　joint　discussion　at　one　prominent　point　in　each　congressional　district　*　*　*　was　received　this　morning。　　The　times　and　places　designated　are　as　follows：

Ottawa；　La　Salle　County　。。。。。。。。。　August　21；　1858。　Freeport；　Stephenson　County　。。。。。　August　27；　1858。　Jonesboro；　Union　County　。。。。。。　September　15；　1858。　Charleston；　Coles　County　。。。。。　September　18；　1858。　Galesburgh；　Knox　County　。。。。。。。。。　October　7；　1858。　Quincy；　Adams　County　。。。。。。。。。。。　October　13；　1858。　Alton；　Madison　County　。。。。。。。。。。　October　15；　1858。

〃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　an　hour　and　a　half；　and　I　will　then　follow　for　half　an　hour。　　At　Freeport；　you　shall　open　the　discussion　and　speak　one　hour；　I　will　follow　for　an　hour　and　a　half；　and　you　can　then　reply　for　half　an　hour。　　We　will　alternate　in　like　manner　in　each　successive　place。

〃Very　respectfully；　your　obedient　servant；

〃S。　A。　Douglas。〃

To　which　Lincoln　replied：

〃Springfield；　July　31；　1858。

〃Hon。　S。　A。　Douglas：

〃Dear　Sir：Yours　of　yesterday；　naming　places；　time　and　terms　for　joint　discussions；　between　us；　was　received　this　morning。　　Although　by　the　terms　as　you　propose；　you　take　four　openings　and　closes　to　my　three；　I　accede；　and　thus　close　the　arrangement。　　*　*　*

〃Your　obedient　servant；

〃A。　Lincoln。〃

Now　that　Lincoln　has　become　idealized　and　is　safely　classed　with　the　great　men　of　all　ages；　his　modest　challenge　seems　like　a　condescension　of　the　immortal　President　to　his　rival。　　It　then　seemed　an　act　of　temerity　bordering　on　madness。　　Lincoln's　friends　thought　it　rash。　　Douglas'　friends　had　no　hope　that　his　adversary　would　be　so　easily　delivered　into　his　hands。

Yet　Lincoln　was　not　a　despised　antagonist。　　He　was　the　most　prominent　Republican　in　Illinois。　　But　Douglas　was　the　recognized　head　of　a　great　national　party；　the　giant　of　the　Senate；　the　most　resourceful　American　statesman　then　living。　　Through　years　of　desperate　battling　he　had　successfully　repelled　the　assaults　of　Seward；　Sumner　and　Chase。　　He　had　more　recently　encountered　with　equal　ease　all　the　Southern　Senators。　　It　seemed　a　simple　task　to　meet　this　humble　Western　lawyer　and　make　his　friends　ashamed　of　their　senatorial　candidate。　　Douglas　did　not　share　the　pleasant　illusion　of　his　friends。　　Before　leaving　Washington；　when　he　heard　that　Lincoln　was　nominated；　he　said　to　Forney：

〃I　shall　have　my　hands　full。　　He　is　a　strong　man　of　his　p