Lincoln, the unknown

Why did Douglas do it?LINCOLN THE UNKNOWN•93No one seems to know. Historiansin skullcaps are still arguing about it. Of this much, however,we are certain: Douglas hoped to be elected President in1856. He knew this repeal would help him in the South.But what of the North?"By God, I know it will raise a hell of a storm there," he declared.He was right. It did. It raised a regular tornado that blewboth the great parties into bits, and eventually whirled thenation into civil war.Meetings of protest and indignation flared up spontaneouslyin hundreds of cities and villages and hamlets. Stephen ArnoldDouglas was denounced as the "traitor Arnold." People saidthat he had been named after Benedict Arnold. He was brandedas a modern Judas, and presented with thirty pieces of silver.He was given a rope and told to hang himself.The churches leaped into the fight with a holy frenzy. Threethousand and fifty clergymen in New England wrote a protest"in the name of Almighty God and in His presence," and laidit before the Senate. Fiery and indignant editorials fed theflames of public indignation. In Chicago even the Democraticpapers turned upon Douglas with vindictive fierceness.Congress adjourned in August, and Douglas started home.Amazed at the sights that met his eyes, he declared afterwardthat he could have traveled all the way from Boston to Illinoisby the light of burning effigies of himself hanging by the neck.Daring and defiant, he announced that he was going to speakin Chicago. The hatred against him there, in his own hometown, amounted to nothing less than fanaticism. The pressassailed him, and wrathful ministers demanded that he neveragain be permitted to "pollute the pure air of Illinois with hisperfidious breath." Men rushed to the hardware stores, and, bysundown, there wasn't another revolver left for sale in all thecity. His enemies swore that he should never live to defend hisinfamous deeds.The moment Douglas entered the city, boats in the harborlowered their flags to half-mast; and bells in a score of churchestolled, mourning the death of Liberty.The night that he spoke was one of the hottest Chicago hadever known. Perspiration rolled down the faces of men as theysat idling in their chairs. Women fainted as they struggled toget out to the shore of the lake where they could sleep on the