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32
ILLINOIS HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS

The Little Giant will soon be among us, and as he moves about we can tell how the people feel. It is conceded here that it's all right in this district.

Every district where there is any hope will be looked after and nothing left undone that will tend to success. By about September the whole state will be alive with stumpers,—Douglas will be backed by the "giants," and the Black Republican Ajaxes will be in the field armed for the conflict. Distintinguished speakers from all parts of the Union on both sides are promised.

Lincoln is popular—the strongest man the opposition have,—is nearly fifty years old—six feet two—slightly stoop-shouldered—very muscular and powerful—dark eyes—a quizzical, pleasant, raw-boned face—tells a a story better than anybody else—is a good lawyer—and is what the world calls a devilish good fellow.—He would have been senator before, had not Trumbull's superior cunning overreached him. But, in dignity, intellect and majesty of mind it is not pretended that he is Douglas's equal.

[Cincinnati, Ohio, Commercial, July 13]

MR. DOUGLAS—HIS PASSAGE THROUGH OHIO—HIS COMFORTERS

The Honorable Stephen A. Douglas appears to have put himself into not very desirable hands in his passage through the state of Ohio. It is true that if he found it advisable to put himself into any hands whatever, he had left to him very little freedom of choice. The original Buchanan men, and those whose interests it is still to appear to cling to the presidential faction, could not, of course, have anything to do with him.

Having addressed a large gathering of the people at Clifton Springs, N. Y., on the Fourth of July, Douglas departed for Chicago. In New York, at Cleveland, and at Toledo, Ohio, he was tendered serenades and receptions. Recalling the unfortunate manner in which the people of Chicago had greeted him four years before, his supporters now planned a reception which, by its very magnitude would overwhelm hostility if any were manifest and would also show Buchanan that Illinois chose to follow her senator rather than the President. It was the first of the extraordinary rallies made to the banner of Douglas in the campaign of 1858.