Abraham Lincoln: The True Story of a Great Life, Volume 2 (of 2)Herndon, William Henry
History
Abraham Lincoln: The True Story of a Great Life, Volume 2 (of 2)
Herndon, William Henry
Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865
* Douglas had written a long and carefully prepared article
on "Popular Sovereignty in the Territories," which appeared
for the first time in the September (1859) number of
"Harper's Magazine." It went back some distance into the
history of the government, recounting the proceedings of the
earliest Congresses, and sought to mark out more clearly
than had heretofore been done "the dividing line between
Federal and Local authority." In a speech at Columbus, O,
Lincoln answered the "copy-right essay" categorically. After
alluding to the difference of position between himself and
Judge Douglas on the doctrine of Popular Sovereignty, he
said: "Judge Douglas has had a good deal of trouble with
Popular Sovereignty. His explanations, explanatory of
explanations explained, are interminable. The most lengthy
and, as I suppose, the most maturely considered of his long
series of explanations is his great essay in "Harper's
Magazine."
This request he especially appreciated, because after some effort he
had failed to induce any publisher in Springfield to undertake the
enterprise,* thus proving anew that "a prophet is not without honor,
save in his own country." In December he visited Kansas, speaking
at Atchison, Troy, Leavenworth, and other towns near the border. His
speeches there served to extend his reputation still further westward.
Though his arguments were repetitions of the doctrine laid down in the
contest with Douglas, yet they were new to the majority of his Kansas**
hearers and were enthusiastically approved. By the close of the year he
was back again in the dingy law office in Springfield.
* A gentleman is still living, who at the time of the debate
between Lincoln and Douglas, was a book publisher in
Springfield. Lincoln had collected newspaper slips of all
the speeches made during the debate, and proposed to him
their publication in book form; but the man declined,
fearing there would be no demand for such a book.
Subsequently, when the speeches were gotten out in book form
in Ohio, Mr. Lincoln procured a copy and gave it to his
Springfield friend, writing on the fly-leaf, "Compliments of
A. Lincoln."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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