You young men of this day don’t care, And you don’t understand the old questions. But a man’s life is always worth understanding, Especially a man’s like The Little Giant. Now this was the point: There was that devilish thing slavery, And The Little Giant, as senator, Put through a bill for leaving it to the people Whether they would have slavery in Kansas or Nebraska, Or any other territory, and that was popular sovereignty-- And sounds democratic; but three years later Along comes the Supreme Court and says: The people of a territory must have slavery Whether they want it or not, because The constitution is for slavery, and it follows the flag! Well, there was The Little Giant Caught between the law and the constitution! And tryin’ to obey ’em both! Or better still he was like Lem Reese’s boy Who was standin’ one time one foot on shore, And one in a skiff, baitin’ a hook, And all at once Col. Lankford’s little steamer Came along and bobbled the skiff; And it started to glide out into the river,-- Why the boy walked like a spread compass For a month. For the skiff was movin’, and that’s the law. And his other foot slipped on the slimy bank, And that’s the constitution! But if you want to consider a minute How Time plays tag with people, And how no one can tell When he’ll be It, just think: There was Bill McKinley Who kept the old constitution’s from goin’ to the Philippines, And they elected him. And here was The Little Giant, Who wanted to send it everywhere, And they defeated him. So you see it depends on what it means Whether you want to keep it or send it. And nobody knows what it means-- Not even judges. But just the same them were great days. One time The Little Giant came here with Linkern And talked from the steps of the Court-house; And you never saw such a crowd of people: Democrats, Whigs, and Locofocos, Know-nothings and Anti-masonics, Blue lights, Spiritualists, Republicans Free Soilers, Socialists, Americans--such a crowd. Linkern’s voice squeaked up high, And didn’t carry. But Douglas! People out yonder in Proctor’s Grove, A mile from the Court House steps, Could hear him roar and hear him say: “I’m going to trot him down to Egypt And see if he’ll say the things he says To the black republicans in northern Illinois.” It made you shiver all down your spine To see that face and hear that voice-- And that was The Little Giant!