So had Douglas.
Hence the cry: the Land Office Ticket. Douglas had made money, therefore
down with him! Only poverty and humility deserved honor.
I not only opened my purse to Douglas, for he was not in fact affluent;
but I decided to travel with him in the campaign. True to his courage
and his self-confidence he met his Whig opponent, Major Stuart, face to
face in joint debate at Springfield. I was greatly thrilled with this
contest. Major Stuart was very popular, an old resident, an officer in
the Black Hawk War, and a brave one, Reverdy told me. He was of powerful
physique, standing more than six feet, and equal to an arduous campaign.
At Springfield Stuart and Douglas came to blows. Stuart tucked Douglas'
head under his arm and carried him around the square; meanwhile Douglas
bit Stuart's thumb almost in two. As a debater and campaigner Douglas
was his superior. He made friends by the hundreds everywhere. He went
down among the gay and volatile Irishmen who were digging the Illinois
and Michigan canal, and won them to his cause. I was with him, watching
his methods, marveling at his physical resources, his exhaustless
oratory, the aptness and quickness of his logic.
In the midst of the summer we decided to go to Chicago. Douglas'
clothes, his boots, his hat, were worn almost to pieces.
Pages:
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164