a discussion which has no exact parallel
in history--certainly no equal in American political history. It
introduced Mr. Lincoln to the country at large, and prepared the
way for his nomination to the Presidency two years later. On the
declaration above quoted Mr. Douglas based many arguments, in vain
attempts to prove that Mr. Lincoln was a disunionist.

During this period Douglas addressed an enthusiastic assemblage at
Chicago, and in the course of his speech adverted to the arraignment
of himself by Mr. Lincoln. He took direct issue with that gentleman
on his proposition that, as to Freedom and Slavery, "the Union will
become _all_ one thing or _all_ the other," and maintained strenuously
that "it is neither desirable nor possible that there should be
uniformity in the local institutions and domestic regulations of
the different States of this Union."

An announcement that Mr. Lincoln would reply to Mr. Douglas on the
following evening brought out another assemblage, July 10, which
was awakened, before the speaker had concluded, to an enthusiasm
at least equal to that which the eloquence of Douglas had aroused.

The issues involved in this famous series of debates are too familiar
to all students of our Nation's political history to be considered
at length in these pages. Mr. Lincoln analyzed and answered the
various arguments advanced by Mr. Douglas the evening before; and
the closing paragraphs of his reply to the insistent reminders
"that this Government was made for white men," were memorable:

"Those arguments that are made, that the inferior race are to be
treated with as much allowance as they are capable of enjoying;
that as much is to be done for them as their conditions will allow.
What are these arguments? They are the arguments that kings have
made for enslaving the people in all ages of the world. You will
find that all the arguments in favor of kingcraft were of this
class; they always bestrode the necks of the people, not that they
wanted to do it, but because the people were better off for being
ridden. That is their argument, and this argument of the Judge is
the same old serpent that says: 'You work, and I eat; you toil,
and I will enjoy the fruits of it.'"

Six days thereafter, July 16, Senator Douglas in a great speech
again tried to break the force of his opponent's facts and logic.
This was at Bloomington, and Mr. Lincoln was again a careful
listener. On the evening following, Jul