ss. But they
only served to whet the moral and intellectual and political appetite of
the public for more. It was generally conceded that, at last, in the
person of Mr. Lincoln, the "Little Giant" had met his match.

On July 24, Mr. Lincoln opened a correspondence with Mr. Douglas,
which eventuated in an agreement between them, July 31st, for
joint-discussions, to take place at Ottawa, Freeport, Jonesboro,
Charleston, Galesburgh, Quincy, and Alton, on fixed dates in August,
September and October--at Ottawa, Mr. Douglas to open and speak one
hour, Mr. Lincoln to have an hour and a half in reply, and Mr. Douglas
to close in a half hour's speech; at Freeport, Mr. Lincoln to open and
speak for one hour, Mr. Douglas to take the next hour and a half in
reply, and Mr. Lincoln to have the next half hour to close; and so on,
alternating at each successive place, making twenty-one hours of joint
political debate.

To these absorbingly interesting discussions, vast assemblages listened
with breathless attention; and to the credit of all parties be it said,
with unparalleled decorum. The People evidently felt that the greatest
of all political principles--that of Human Liberty--was hanging on the
issue of this great political contest between intellectual giants, thus
openly waged before the World--and they accordingly rose to the dignity
and solemnity of the occasion, vindicating by their very example the
sacredness with which the Right of Free Speech should be regarded at all
times and everywhere.

CHAPTER V.

THE PRESIDENTIAL CONTEST OF 1860
THE CRISIS APPROACHING.

The immediate outcome of the remarkable joint-debate between the two
intellectual giants of Illinois was, that while the popular vote stood
124,698 for Lincoln, to 121,130 for Douglas--showing a victory for
Lincoln among the People--yet, enough Douglas-Democrats were elected to
the Legislature, when added to those of his friends in the Illinois
Senate, who had been elected two years before, and "held over," to give
him, in all, 54 members of both branches of the Legislature on joint
ballot, against 46 for Mr. Lincoln. Lincoln had carried the people, but
Douglas had secured the Senatorial prize for which they had striven--and
by that Legislative vote was elected to succeed himself in the United
States Senate. This result was trumpeted throughout the Union as a
great Douglas victo