that such a man dreads encounter with Mr. A. Lincoln is an absurdity that can be uttered by his organs only with a ghastly phiz. Mr. Lincoln, if he desired what his organs claim, had ample opportunity to make his proposition. He could have made such an arrangement as would have, had he held out, shown him in withering contrast in every county seat in the state. He was not anxious for the fray! or he would have made his proposition at Chicago, or here, where he had ample opportunity; but he waits until Mr. Douglas makes other arrangements, and advertises them, in a manner that they must, with propriety, be fulfilled, when he banters for battle, knowing his proposition cannot be accepted.
Mr. Douglas' reply to his note affords him fray enough. He has opportunity, at seven different points in the state, to show his metal. If he was good for fifty or a hundred encounters, he certainly ought to be for seven. Will he accept? The joint efforts of the two parties certainly will insure large turn-outs of the people, and we have no doubt the railroads, which have latterly become a nightmare to the republican candidate, will assist, and make, in a "business" way, a "good thing" of it.
Let us have a grand turn-out of the people at one point in each congressional district. The democracy of Illinois will submit the whole case to such popular jurors, called together by the joint effort of the two parties.
[Burlington, Iowa, Gazette, July 31, 1858]
DOUGLAS AND LINCOLN
So perverse in their nature are some black republican editors that it seems an impossibility for them to tell the truth. Our home contemporary [Hawkeye] is of this class. Mark what he says in the following lines:
Lincoln has challenged Douglas to canvass Illinois together, addressing the people from the same stump. Judges Douglas dodges.
Judge Douglas dodges, eh? Well, let us see if he dodges. Here is the correspondence entire between Lincoln and Douglas relating to the matter. No sir, Douglas will meet Lincoln if Lincoln dare to meet Douglas; and the only dodging there will be on the part of the "Little Giant" will take place when the people of Illinois, through their representatives elect, dodge him into the Senatorship again, as they most assuredly will.
