Lincoln’sappearanceonthestumpandofhismannerwhenspeaking，“asHerndonaptlyremarks，“maynotbewithoutinterest。Whenstandingerect，hewassixfeetfourincheshigh。
　　Hewasleaninfleshandungainlyinfigure。Asidefromhissad，painedlook，duetohabitualmelancholy，hisfacehadnocharacteristicorfixedexpression。Hewasthinthroughthechestandhenceslightlystoop-shouldered……Atfirsthewasveryawkwardanditseemedareallabortoadjusthimselftohissurroundings。Hestruggledforatimeunderafeelingofapparentdiffidenceandsensitiveness，andtheseonlyaddedtohisawkwardness……Whenhebeganspeakinghisvoicewasshrill，pipingandunpleasant。Hismanner，hisattitude，hisdarkyellowface，wrinkledanddry，hisoddityofpose，hisdiffidentmovements；everythingseemedtobeagainsthim，butonlyforashorttime……Asheproceeded，hebecamesomewhatmoreanimated……Hedidnotgesticulateasmuchwithhishandsaswithhishead。Heusedthelatterfrequently，throwingitwithhim，thiswayandthat……
　　Heneversawedtheairnorrentspaceintotattersandrags，assomeoratorsdo。Heneveractedforstageeffect。Hewascool，considerate，reflective——intime，self-possessedandself-reliant……Ashemovedalonginhisspeechhebecamefreerandlessuneasyinhismovements；tothatextenthewasgraceful。Hehadaperfectnaturalness，astrongindividuality，andtothatextenthewasdignified……
　　Hespokewitheffectiveness——andtomovethejudgmentaswellastheemotionofmen。Therewasaworldofmeaningandemphasisinthelong，bonyfingeroftherighthandashedottedtheideasonthemindsofhishearers……Healwaysstoodsquarelyonhisfeet……Heneithertouchednorleanedonanythingforsupport。Heneverranted，neverwalkedbackwardandforwardontheplatform……Asheproceededwithhisspeech，theexerciseofhisvocalorgansalteredsomewhatthepitchofhisvoice。Itlostinameasureitsformeracuteandshrillingpitchandmellowedintoamoreharmoniousandpleasantsound。Hisformexpanded，andnotwithstandingthesunkenbreast，heroseupasplendidandimposingfigure……Hislittlegrayeyesflashedinafaceaglowwiththefireofhisprofoundthoughts；andhisuneasymovementsanddiffidentmannersunkthemselvesbeneaththewaveofrighteousindignationthatcamesweepingoverhim。“[4]
　　Awonderfuldramaticcontrastwerethesetwomen，eachinhiswaysomasterful，astheyappearedinthefamousdebates。BygoodfortunewehaveaportraitofDouglastheorator，fromthepenofMrs。Stowe，whohadobservedhimwithreluctantadmirationfromthegalleryoftheSenate。“ThisDouglasistheveryidealofvitality。Short，broad，thick-set，everyinchofhimhasitsownalertnessandmotion。Hehasagoodhead，thickblackhair，heavyblackbrows，andakeenface。
　　Hisfigurewouldbeanunfortunateonewereitnotfortheanimationthatconstantlypervadesit。Asitisitrathergivespoignancytohispeculiarappearance；hehasasmallhandsomehand，moreover，andagracefulaswellasforciblemodeofusingit……Hehastworequisitesofadebater，amelodiousvoiceandclear，sharplydefinedenunciation。Hisforteindebatingishispowerofmystifyingthepoint。Withthemostoffhandassuredairsintheworld，andacertainappearanceofhonestsuperiority，likeonewhohasaregardforyouandwishestosetyourightononeortwolittlematters，heproceedstosetupsomepointwhichisnotthatinquestion，butonlyafamilyconnectionofit，andthispointheattackswiththeverybestoflogicandlanguage；hechargesuponit，horseandfoot，runsitdown，tramplesitinthedust，andthenturnsuponyouwith’See，thereisyourargument。DidInottellyouso？Youseeitisallstuff。’Andifyouhaveallowedyourselftobesodazzledbyhisquicknessastoforgetthattheroutedpointisnot，afterall，theoneinquestion，yousupposeallisoverwithit。Moreover，hecontrivestomingleupsomanystingingallusions，somanypiquantpersonalities，thatbythetimehehasdonehismystification，adozenothersarereadyandburningtospringontheirfeettorepelsomedirectorindirectattackallequallywideofthepoint。“
　　Themodeoftravelofthetwocontestantsheightenedthecontrast。GeorgeB。McClellan，ayoungengineerofficerwhohadrecentlyresignedfromthearmyandwasnowgeneralsuperintendentoftheIllinoisCentralRailroad，gaveDouglashisprivatecarandaspecialtrain。Lincolntraveledanywayhecould-inordinarypassengertrains，oreveninthecabooseofafreighttrain。AcurioussymbolizationofLincoln’sbeliefthattherealconflictwasbetweentheplainpeopleandorganizedmoney!
　　Thedebatesdidnotdevelopnewideas。Itwasaliteraryduel，eachleaderaimingtorestatehimselfinthemosttelling，popularway。Foroncethatsuperficialdefinitionofartapplied：“Whatoftwasthoughtbutne’ersowellexpressed。“
　　Neverthelessthedebatescontainedanincidentthathelpedtomakehistory。ThoughDouglaswasatwarwiththeAdministration，itwasnotcertainthatthequarrelmightnotbemadeup。TherewasnootherleaderwhowouldbesoformidableattheheadofareunitedDemocraticparty。Lincolnponderedthequestion，howcouldtheriftbetweenDouglasandtheDemocraticmachinebemadeirrevocable？AndnowanewphaseofLincolnappeared。ItwasthepoliticalstrategistHesawthatifhewoulddisregardhisownchanceofelection-ashehaddonefromasimplermotivefouryearsbefore——hecoulddriveDouglasintoadilemmafromwhichtherewasnorealescape。Heconfidedhispurposetohisfriends；theyurgedhimnottodoit。Buthehadmadeuphismindashegenerallydid，withoutconsultation，inthesilenceofhisownthoughts，andoncehavingmadeitup，hewasinflexible。
　　AtFreeport，LincolnmadethemovewhichprobablylosthimtheSenatorship。HeaskedaquestionwhichifDouglasanswereditonewaywouldenablehimtorecoverthefavorofIllinoisbutwouldlosehimforeverthefavoroftheslave-holders；butwhich，ifheanswereditanotherwaymightenablehimtomakehispeaceatWashingtonbutwouldcertainlylosehimIllinois。
　　Thequestionwas：“CanthepeopleofaUnitedStatesTerritoryinanylawfulway，againstthewishofanycitizenoftheUnitedStates，excludeslaveryfromitslimitspriortotheformationofaStateConstitution？“[5]Inotherwords，istheDredScottdecisiongoodlaw？Isittruethataslave-holdercantakehisslavesintoKansasifthepeopleofKansaswanttokeephimout？
　　Douglassawthetrap。WithhisinstantaneousfacilityhetriedtocloudtheissueandextricatehimselfthroughevasionintheverymannerMrs。Stowehasdescribed。Whiledodgingadenialofthecourt’sauthority，heinsistedthathisdoctrineoflocalautonomywasstillsecurebecausethroughpoliceregulationthelocallegislaturecouldfosterorstrangleslavery，justastheypleased，nomatter“whatwaytheSupremeCourtmayhereafterdecideastotheabstractquestionwhetherslaverymayormaynotgointoaTerritoryundertheConstitution。“
　　AsLincoln’sfriendshadforeseen，thismatchlessperformanceofcarryingwateronbothshoulderscaughtthepopularfancy；
　　DouglaswasreelectedtotheSenate。AsLincolnhadforeseen，itkilledhimasaDemocraticleader；itpreventedthereunionoftheDemocraticparty。Theresultappearedin1860whentheRepublicans，thoughstillaminorityparty，carriedthedaybecauseofthebitterdivisionsamongtheDemocrats。ThatwaswhatLincolnforesawwhenhesaidtohisfearfulfriendswhiletheyarguedinvaintopreventhisaskingthequestionatFree-port。“Iamkillinglargergame；thegreatbattleof1860
　　isworthathousandofthissenatorialrace。“[6]
　　X。THEDARKHORSE
　　OneofthemostcuriousthingsinLincolnisthewayhisconfidenceinhimselfcameandwent。HehadnoneofDouglas’sunwaveringself-reliance。Beforetheend，tobesure，heattainedatypeofself-reliance，higherandmoreimperturbable。Butthiswasnotthefruitofasteadfastunfolding。Rather，hewaslikeatreewithitsalternatingperiodsofgrowthandpause，nowrichlyinleaf，nowdormant。
　　Equallyapplicableistheotherfamiliarimageofthesuccessivewaves。
　　Theclueseemstohavebeen，inpartatleast，amatterofvitality。JustasDouglasemanatedvitality——somuchsothathisaurafilledthewholeSenatechamberandforcedanunwillingresponseinthegiftedbuthostilewomanwhowatchedhimfromthegallery——Lincoln，conversely，madenosuchoverpoweringimpression。Hisobservers，howevermuchtheyhavetosayabouthishumor，hisseasonsofShakespearianmirth，neverforgettheirimpressionthatatheartheissad。Hisfondnessforpoetryintheminorkeyhasbecomeabyword，especiallytheline“Oh，whyshouldthespiritofmortalbeproud。“
　　Itisimpossibletodiscoveranylawgoverningthesuccessionofhislapsesinself-reliance。Buttheymayberelatedveryplausiblytohissenseoffailureoratleasttohissenseoffutility。Hewasoneofthoseintenselysensitivenaturestowhomthefutilitiesofthisworldareitsmostdiscouragingfeature。Wheneversuchideaswerebroughthometohimhisenergyflagged；hisvitality，neverhigh，sank。Hewaspronetoturnawayfromtheoutwardlifetolosehimselfintheinner。AllthisispartofthephenomenawhichHerndonperceivedmoreclearlythanhecomprehendedit，whichledhimtocallLincolnafatalist。
　　AhumblerbutperhapsmoreaccurateexplanationisthereminderthathewassontoThomastheunstable。WhathappenedinLincoln’smindwhenhereturneddefeatedfromWashington，thatghost-likerisingoftheimpulsesofoldThomas，recurredmorethanoncethereafter。Infactthereisaperiodwell-defined，aspanofthirteenyearsterminatingsuddenlyonadayin1862，duringwhichtheghostofoldThomasisathingtobereckonedwithinhisson’slife。Itcameandwent，mostofthetimefortunatelyfaronthehorizon。Butnowandthenitdrewnear。
　　Alwaysitwaslurkingsomewhere，waitingtoseizeuponhiminthosemomentswhenhisvitalitysank，whenhisenergieswereintheebb，whenhisthoughtswerepossessedbyasenseoffutility。
　　Theyear1859wasoneofhisebbtides。Inthepreviousyeartherisingtide，whichhadmountedhighduringhissuccessonthecircuit，reacheditscrestThememoryofhisfailureatWashingtonwaseffaced。AtFreeporthewasamorepowerfulgenius，amoredominantpersonality，thanhehadeverbeen。
　　Gradually，inthemonthsfollowing，thehighwavesubsided。
　　During1859hegavemostofhisattentiontohispractice。
　　Thoughpoliticalspeech-makingcontinued，andthoughhedidnotimpairhisreputation，hedidnothingofaremarkablesort。
　　TheoneliteraryfragmentofanyvalueisalettertoaBostoncommitteethathadinvitedhimtoattenda“festival“inBostononJefferson’sbirthday。HeavowedhimselfathoroughgoingdiscipleofJeffersonandpronouncedtheprinciplesofJefferson“thedefinitionsandaxiomsoffreesociety。“WithoutconditionsheidentifiedhisowncausewiththecauseofJefferson，“themanwhointheconcretepressureofastrugglefornationalindependencebyasinglepeople，hadthecoolness，forecastandcapacitytointroduceintoamerelyrevolutionarydocument，anabstracttruth，applicabletoallmenandalltimes，andsotoembalmittherethattodayandinallcomingdays，itshallbearebukeandastumbling-blocktotheveryharbingersofreappearingtyrannyandoppression。“[1]
　　WhiletheBostoncommitteewereturningtheireyestowardthisgreatnewphrase-makeroftheWest，severalpoliticiansinIllinoishadformedaboldresolve。TheywouldtrytomakehimPresident。Themovementhadtwosources——thepersonalloyaltyofhisdevotedfriendsofthecircuit，theshrewdnessofthepoliticalmanagerswhosawthathisduelwithDouglashadmadehimanationalfigure。Asoneofthemsaidtohim，“Douglasbeingsowidelyknown，youaregettinganationalreputationthroughhim。“Lincolnrepliedthathedidnotlacktheambitionbutlackedaltogethertheconfidenceinthepossibilityofsuccess。[2]
　　Thiswashisattitudeduringmostof1859。Theglow，theenthusiasm，ofthepreviousyearwasgone。“ImustincandorsaythatIdonotthinkmyselffitforthePresidency，“hewrotetoanewspapereditorinApril。HeusedthesamewordstoanothercorrespondentinJuly。AslateasNovemberfirst，hewrote，“Formysingleself，IhaveenlistedforthepermanentsuccessoftheRepublicancause，andforthisobjectIshalllaborfaithfullyintheranks，unless，asIthinknotprobable，thejudgmentofthepartyshallassignmeadifferentposition。“[3]
　　Meanwhile，bothgroupsofsupportershadlaboredunceasingly，regardlessofhisapproval。Inhispersonalfollowing，thecompanionablenessoftwentyyearshaddeepenedintoanalmostromanticloyalty。Theleadersofthisenthusiasticattachment，mostofthemlawyers，hadnosuperiorsforinfluenceinIllinois。Themanwhohadsuchafollowingwasapowerinpoliticswhetherhewouldorno。Thisthemerepoliticianssaw。TheyalsosawthatthenextRepublicannominationwouldrestonadelicatecalculationofprobabilities。Therewere