parties for two Presidential campaigns to
follow. The memorable sentences were as follows:

"A house divided against itself cannot stand. I believe this Government
cannot endure permanently half slave and half free. I do not expect
the Union to be dissolved; I do not expect the house to fall; but I do
expect it will cease to be divided. It will become all the one thing
or the other. Either the opponents of slavery will arrest the further
spread of it and place it where the public mind shall rest in the belief
that it is in the course of ultimate extinction, or its advocates will
push it forward till it becomes alike lawful in all the states, old as
well as new, North as well as South."

It is universally conceded that this speech contained the most important
utterances of Mr. Lincoln's life.

Previous to its delivery, the Democratic convention had endorsed Mr.
Douglas for re-election to the Senate, and the Republican convention had
resolved that "Abraham Lincoln is our first and only choice for
United States Senator, to fill the vacancy about to be created by the
expiration of Mr. Douglas' term of office."

Before Judge Douglas had made many speeches in this Senatorial campaign,
Mr. Lincoln challenged him to a joint debate, which was accepted, and
seven memorable meetings between these two great leaders followed.
The places and dates were: Ottawa, August 21st; Freeport, August 27th;
Jonesboro, September 15th; Charleston, September 18th; Galesburg,
October 7th; Quincy, October 13th; and Alton, October 15th.

The debates not only attracted the attention of the people in the state
of Illinois, but aroused an interest throughout the whole country equal
to that of a Presidential election.

WERE LIKE CROWDS AT A CIRCUS.

All the meetings of the joint debate were attended by immense crowds
of people. They came in all sorts of vehicles, on horseback, and many
walked weary miles on foot to hear these two great leaders discuss the
issues of the campaign. There had never been political meetings held
under such unusual conditions as these, and there probably never will
be again. At every place the speakers were met by great crowds of their
friends and escorted to the platforms in the open air where the debates
were held. The processions that escorted the speakers were most unique.
They carried flags and banners and were preceded by bands of music. The
people discharged cannons when they had them, and, when they did no