There is another reason why you Southern people ought to nominate Douglas
at your convention at Charleston. That reason is the wonderful capacity of
the man,--the power he has of doing what would seem to be impossible. Let
me call your attention to one of these apparently impossible things:

Douglas had three or four very distinguished men of the most extreme
anti-slavery views of any men in the Republican party expressing their
desire for his re-election to the Senate last year. That would, of itself,
have seemed to be a little wonderful; but that wonder is heightened when
we see that Wise of Virginia, a man exactly opposed to them, a man who
believes in the divine right of slavery, was also expressing his desire
that Douglas should be reelected; that another man that may be said to
be kindred to Wise, Mr. Breckinridge, the Vice-President, and of your
own State, was also agreeing with the anti-slavery men in the North that
Douglas ought to be re-elected. Still to heighten the wonder, a senator
from Kentucky, whom I have always loved with an affection as tender
and endearing as I have ever loved any man, who was opposed to the
anti-slavery men for reasons which seemed sufficient to him, and equally
opposed to Wise and Breckinridge, was writing letters into Illinois to
secure the reelection of Douglas. Now, that all these conflicting elements
should be brought, while at daggers' points with one another, to support
him, is a feat that is worthy for you to note and consider. It is quite
probable that each of these classes of men thought, by the re-election of
Douglas, their peculiar views would gain something: it is probable that
the anti-slavery men thought their views would gain something; that Wise
and Breckinridge thought so too, as regards their opinions; that Mr.
Crittenden thought that his views would gain something, although he was
opposed to both these other men. It is probable that each and all of them
thought that they were using Douglas; and it is yet an unsolved problem
whether he was not using them all. If he was, then it is for you to
consider whether that power to perform wonders is one for you lightly to
throw away.

There is one other thing that I will say to you, in this relation. It is
but my opinion, I give it to you without a fee. It is my opinion that it
is for you to take him or be defeated; and that if you do take him you
may be beaten. You will surely be beaten if you do not take him. We, the
Repu