"He's fresh and Douglas is tired," said Reverdy. "He has the advantage
of not having committed himself much. Douglas has spoken freely on
everything. He's four years older than Douglas, but he's a younger man.
He's a temperance man they say; and while I like a drink, I don't like
to see a man drink as much as Douglas does. They say he's been pouring
it down during this campaign. But as for Douglas' stooping to debate
with Lincoln, it's no stoop. They make the fur fly when they talk. What
I fear is that there's going to be trouble in this country. I hate
slavery, but I hate this agitation too. I don't want to see the North
keep on making war on the South. It will breed trouble sure. And this
is where I stand with Douglas. He is for non-interference with slavery
and his election will be a quieter."
When we got back to Reverdy's house I plunged into the newspapers
containing the debates. I read until suppertime, and then late into the
night. I read them all. I went to bed and analyzed the arguments.
A house divided against itself cannot stand! This was Seward's
irrepressible conflict clothed in Biblical language. The religious
revival which had swept the country gave these words a compelling
acceptance. But as I read this it came over me that both Jesus and
Lincoln were sophists. For a house divided against itself can stand; and
irrepressible conflicts rage forever.
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