This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
ILLINOIS HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS
197

horses. The Republicans chose a more appropriate conveyance for "Old Abe," he being a man of the people and not an aristocrat, and chartered a regular old-fashioned Pennsylvania wagon, to which were attached six horses, all with the old "strap" harness, and the driver riding one of the wheel horses. Abe was seated in the wagon, together with about a dozen good, solid, old-fashioned farmers, the "bone and sinew " of the land, and they were greeted with hearty rounds of cheers as they passed along. The Douglasites concluded that the "white horse" arrangement wouldn't be popular after such a truly democratic display, and backed out of it. At two o'clock the speaking commenced, Mr. Lincoln being introduced by Hon. T. J. Turner, Moderator on the part of the Republicans, Mr. Lincoln spoke for one hour.

Dᴏᴜɢʟᴀꜱ' Mᴀɴɴᴇʀꜱ—During the whole of Mr. Lincoln's opening speech at the discussion on Friday last, Mr. Douglas sat near him smoking a cigar, and puffing out its fumes for the benefit of the Speaker and the Ladies who were so unfortunate as to be in the immediate vicinity of this "Shortboy Senator." Take this in connection with the ridiculous exhibition he made of himself when in his "mad" fit, and what a specimen does he afford of an American Statesman! A libel upon the race of heroes. . . . .

[Daily Missouri Democrat, St. Louis, September 3, 1858]
PROGRESS OF THE ILLINOIS CAMPAIGN


Second Meeting of the Rival Senatorial Candidates.— Debate between Lincoln and Douglas at Freeport.— Fifteen Thousand Persons Present


Notwithstanding the combined drawbacks of wind and rain, the second debate between Messrs. Lincoln and Douglas, which took place at Freeport, Illinois on Friday last, attracted even a larger crowd than that which greeted the contestants at Ottawa, on the Saturday preceding. About 15,000 persons were present, a gain of one-third on the former attendance.

At their first meeting the advantage of opening and closing the discussion was enjoyed by Douglas, while at the second, Lincoln in turn had the first and last word.

In a repeated consideration of the same topics, there must of necessity be in general, a rehearsal of the same arguments, although circum-