The Lincoln–Douglas debates of 1858/Preface
HIS VOLUME which comprises the memorable debates between Mr. Lincoln and Judge Douglas during the Senatorial campaign of 1858, is presented to the members and guests at the banquet given by the Association on the One Hundred and Second Anniversary of Mr. Lincoln's birth.
The Lincoln Centennial Association.
FORMER GUESTS OF HONOR.
The Right Honorable James Bryce, The British Ambassador.
The Honorable J. J. Jusserand, The French Ambassador.
*The Honorable Jonathan P. Dolliver of Iowa.
The Honorable William Jennings Bryan of Nebraska.
The Honorable Robert T. Lincoln of Illinois.
The Honorable N. C. Blanchard of Louisiana.
The Honorable Fred. T. Dubois of Idaho.
The Honorable Charles S. Deneen of Illinois.
The Honorable John W. Noble of Missouri.
The Honorable Richard Yates of Illinois.
The Honorable Peter S. Grosscup of Illinois.
The Honorable William H. Seaman of Wisconsin.
The Honorable Albert B. Anderson of Indiana.
*The Honorable Alfred Orendorff of Illinois.
The Honorable James S. Harlan of Washington, D. C.
The Honorable William A. Rodenburg of Illinois.
The Honorable John P. Hand of Illinois.
Dr. Booker T. Washington of Alabama.
*The Honorable Howland J. Hamlin of Illinois.
The Honorable William H. Stead of Illinois.
The Honorable Francis G. Blair of Illinois.
*Deceased.
The Lincoln Centennial Association.
INCORPORATORS.
*Hon. Melville W. Fuller, Chief Justice U. S. Supreme Court.
Hon. Shelby M. Cullom, United States Senator.
Hon. Albert J. Hopkins.
Hon. Joseph G. Cannon, Member of Congress.
Hon. Adlai E. Stevenson.
Hon. Charles S. Deneen, Governor of Illinois.
Hon. John P. Hand, Justice Supreme Court Illinois.
Hon. J Otis Humphrey, Judge U. S. District Court.
Hon. James A. Rose, Secretary of State.
Hon. Ben F. Caldwell.
Hon. Richard Yates.
Melville E. Stone, Esq., New York.
Horace White, Esq., New York.
John W. Bunn, Esq.
Dr. William Jayne.
OFFICERS.
President . . . . J Otis Humphrey
Vice-President . . . John W. Bunn
Secretary . . . . Philip B. Warren
Treasurer . . . . J- H. Holbrook
DIRECTORS. Shelby M. Cullom, J Otis Humphrey, John W. Bunn, Charles S. Deneen, James A. Rose, *Deceased. The Lincoln Centennial Association
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. John W. Bunn, Thomas Rees, Victor Bender, George Reisch, CHnton L. Conlding, James A. Rose, Shelby M. Ciillom, Nicholas Roberts, Charles S. Deneen, Edgar S. Scott, E. A. Hall, George B. Stadden, Logan Hay, Louis C. Taylor, J Otis Humphrey, Jas. R. B. VanCleave, William Jayne, Philip B. Warren, William B. Jess, Howard K. Weber, Edward D. Keys, Bluford Wilson, George Pasfield, Jr W. F. Workman, Edward W. Payne, Loren E. Wheeler. MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE. Nicholas Roberts, Verne Ray, James A. Easley, Latham T. Souther, Arthur D. Mackie. PUBLICITY COMMITTEE. James A. Rose, Henry Merriam, Jas. R. B. VanCleave, Thomas Rees. BANQUET COMMITTEE. George B. Stadden, John McCreery, Philip Barton Warren, Walter McClellan Allen. MUSIC COMMITTEE. Robert C. Brown, Albert Guest, Clark B. Shipp. SPEAKER'S COMMITTEE. Shelby M. Cullom, Charles S. Deneen, J Otis Humphrey. SOUVENIR AND PRINTING COMMITTEE. Jas. R. B. VanCleave, Archibald L. Bowen, Harrison C. Blankemeyer. CEREMONIES COMMITTEE. James A. Rose, Francis G. Blair, J. H. Collins, DECORATION COMMITTEE. Henry Abels, H. D. Swirlcs, George B. Helmle, , Frank S. Dickson. ®lj? ICtttraln OI?ntf«ntal Aasonatuitt. LIFE MEMBERS. ARKANSAS, LUXORA, S. E. Simonson. CALIFORNIA, San Francisco, Geo. N. Armsby. COLORADO, Colorado Springs, Jos. W. Norvell. DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. Washington. Shelby M. CuUom,
- Melville W. Fuller,
Geo. C. Rankin, Wm. Barrett Ridgely. INDIANA, WiNIMAC, Moses A. Dilts. IOWA, OSKALOOSA, J. F. McNiel, MASSACHUSETTS, Amherst, E. F. Leonard. MINNESOTA, St. Paul. Asa G. Briggs. MISSOURI, St. Louis, Wells H. Blodgett, W. L. Desnoyers, V. E. Desnoyers, David R. Francis, Warrick M. Hough, Ridgely Hudson, B. C. Winston. NEW YORK, New York City, John W. Aymar, Horace White, Melville E. Stone. OHIO, Lima, B. R. Stephens. OKLAHOMA, ViNITA, Joseph A. Gill, PENNSYLVANIA, Philadelphia, William H. Lambert. WISCONSIN, Milwaukee, H. T. Whitcomb. ILLINOIS. Aurora, Albert J. Hopkins. Ashland, Edwin C. Beggs. Auburn, W. W. Lowry. Belleville. Wm. U. Halbert. Bethany, John A. Freeland, A. R. Scott. Bloomington, J. H. Cheney, Lafayette Funk, Frank Gillespie, Thos. C. Kerrick, John T. Lillard, Adlai E. Stevenson. Buffalo Hart, John S. Hurt. Buffalo, Henry C. Garvey, Oliver McDaniel. Cairo, F. A. DeRosset, Geo. Parsons. Cambridge, John P. Hand. Carlinyille, John I. Rinaker, Robert B. Shirley. Carthage, James Gibson. ♦Deceased. Carbondale,
- Geo. W. Smith.
Chicago, Jacob M. Appel, J.'Ogden Armour, A. C. Bartlett, Wm. S. Beale, W. L. Brown, William T. Church, Alex Chystraus, C. E. Crafts, Richmond Dean, Chas. S. Deneen, Theodore Finn, Peter S. Grosscup, Ernest A. Hamill, J. T. Harahan, Geo. B. Harris, Jesse Holdom, Frank H. Jones, Nicholas R. Jones, Robt. T. Lineohi, Willard M. McEwen, Wm. H. MiteheU, Edward Morris, Edward H. Morris, James H. Roberts, W. C. Seipp, Frank C. Shepherd, Byron L. Smith, Orson Smith, A. A. Sprague, W. H. Swett, Elijah N. Zoline, Champaign, Euclid B. Rogers. Charleston, Frank K. Dunn Chatham, Ben. F. Caldwell, Danville, Walter J. Grant, Wm. R. Jewell, Frank Lindley, John L. Watts, Joseph G. Cannon, Decatur, Everett J. Brown, Hugh Crea, O. B. Gorin, Milton Johnson, E. S. McDonald, Joseph J. Sheehan. Divernon, Charles G. Brown. Dixon,
- S. H. Bethea.
Donovan, John Nelson. Elkhart, John D. G. Oglesby. East St. Louis, J. B. Maguire. EVANSTON, J. Seymour Currey. Fakmersville, John Ball. Galesburg, W. E. Terry. Granite City, R. E. Neidringhaus. Hamilton, Edmund P. Denton. Harrisburg, I. R. Tuttle. Jacksonville, Thos. B. Orear, Miller Weir, H. B. Carriel. Andrew Russel. Joliet, W. W. Smith. Kankakee, Len Small. Lanesville P. J. Kent, La Salle, F. W. Matthiessen, Litchfield, J. Carl Dodds, Lincoln, J. A. Lucas.
- Deoea8ed. Madison,
F. A. Garesehe. Mattoon, Jas. W. Craig. Mechanicsburg, W. S. Bullard. Morrison, F. E. Ramsey. Mt. Sterling, J. F. Regan. Mt. Vernon, W. C. Arthurs. New Berlin, B. W. Brown, J. Brown Hitt. Newman, Scott Burgett. W. M. Young. Oregon, Frank O. Lowden, Ottawa, M. T. Moloney. Pawnee. Edward Baxter, Thos. A. Shepherd, Frank Morrell. Paxton, Charles Bogardus. Pearl City, Charles Musser. Peoria, Edward W. Henry, H. W. Lynch, Robert H. Lovett, I. C. Pinknev, P. G. Renniek, Joseph A. Veil, Henry Abels, 5 Alfred Adams, O. G. Addleman, Walter McC. Allen,
- Jas. H. Anderson,
Oscar Ansell, W. P. Armstrong, O. B. Babcock, L. L. Bacchus, Chas. F. Bauman, ♦Deceased. Springfield. Raymond V. Bahr, H. S. Beckemeyer, Victor E. Bender, Richard Ball, John A. Barber, H. E. Barker, S. A. Barker, James H. Barkley, A. J. Barnes, Edgar S. Barnes, Pittspield, Harry Higbee. PONTIAC, J. M. Lyon. QUINCY, Edward J. Parker, W. S. Warfield, Fred Wilms. RrVERTON, John Deal. Rochester, Ira F. Twist, ROCKPORD, Wm. W. Bennett, Robert Rew. RUSHVILLE, John S. Little. Sharpsburg, O. S. Nash. Shelbyville, J. W. Yantis. Urbana, Edmund J. James. V AND ALIA, W. M. Farmer. Virginia,
- Riehard W. Mills.
Virden, J. H. Shriver, Howard T. Wilson, Joseph N. Ross, WiLLIAMSVILLE, J. F. Prather, John W. Prather. W. B. Barry, Geo. A. Bates, Geo. H. Becker, Robert L. Berry, Chas. T. Biseh, Harold P. Bisch, John W. Black, Ira B. Blackstock, Francis G. Blair, HarrisonC. Blankemeyer, Frank H. Bode, Alfred Booth, C. M. Bowcoek, Archibald L. Bowen. Wm. A. Bradford, Jas. L. Brainerd, Charles Bressmer, John Bressmer, John E. Bretz, John F. Bretz, Geo. M. Brinkerhoff, Sr. Geo. M. Brinkerhoff, Jr. John H. Brinkerhoff, Stuart Broadwell, Milton Hay Brown, Owsley Brown, Robert C. Brown, Stuart Brown, W. H. Bruce, Fred Buck, Wm. A. M. Bunker, Geo. W. Bunn, Henrj' Bunn, Jacob, Bunn, John W. Bunn, Joseph F. Bunn, Yillard Bunn, Edmund Burke, Saml. T. Burnett, Wm. G. Burns, William J. Butler, J. F. Cadwallader, E. E. Cantrall, C. C. Carroll, Stanley Castle, E. L. Chapin, Geo. W. Chatterton, Sr. Henry L. Child, George E. Coe, Louis J. Coe, Harry E. Coe, Nathan Cole, L. H. Coleman, Logan Coleman, Louis G. Coleman, J. H. Collins, Clinton L. Conkling, Wm. H. Conkling, Geo. S. Connelly, James A. Connolly, A. E. Converse, A. L. Converse, ♦Deceased. Henry A. Converse, Wm. O. Converse, Thomas Condell, T. J. Condon, W. H. Conway, Jas. L. Cook, John C. Cook, James A. Creighton,
- A. N. J. Crook,
Shelby M. Cullom, L. A. Danner, Gaylord Davidson, Henry Davis, J. McCan Davis, Geo. Edward Day, Don Deal, Charles S. Deneen, V. E. Desnoyers, W. L. Desnoyers, D. A. DeVares, Isaac R. Diller, J. W. Diller, Henry A. Dirksen, Fred C. Dodds, R. N. Dodds, Thos. M. Dolan, Harry F. Dorwin, Shelby C. Dorwin, James E. Dowling, B. F. Drennan, Lincoln Dubois, Geo. C. Dunlop, E. J. Dunn, James A. Easley, R. H. Easley, A. W. Edward, Albert S. Edwards, Richard Egan, Anton Elshoff, Joseph Farris, Clarence W. Feaster, WiUiam Fetzer, Ed. J. Flynn, Frank R. Fisher, C. A. Fiske, Arthur M. Fitzgerald, J. G. Fogarty, John L. Fortado, John J. Foster, Carl D. Franl<e, John B. Franz, C. A. Frazee, D. C. Frederick, James Furlong, M. B. Garber, G. J. George, Cornelius J. Giblin, George B. Gillespie, Frank Godley, Hugh J. Graham, James M. Graham, R. A. Guest, Rudolph Haas, A. Lee Hagler, Elmer E. Hagler, Nathan Haider man, E. A. Hall, James A. Hall, Wathen Hamilton, Saml. J. Hanes, Wm. B. Hankins,
- Edw. F. Hartman,
Frank L. Hatch, Pascal E. Hatch, Robt. E. Hatcher, Charles E. Hay, Logan Hay, E. F. Hazell, Ernest H. Helmle, George B. Helmle, J. C. Helper, G. B. Hemenway, J. E. Hemmiek, R. F. Herndon, Rev. Timothy Hickey, George C. Hickox, Howard T. Hicks, B. R. Hieronymus, Alonzo Hoff, J. H. Holbrook, W. M. Howard, James L. Hudson, Ridgely Hudson, Arthur F. Hughes, J Otis Humphrey, Otis S. Humphrey, R. G. Hunn, Charles H. Hurst, Harry L. Ide, Roy Ide, Edwin F. Irwin, Horace C. Irwin, A. C. James, Frank R. Jamison, William Jayne, James W. Jefferson, Roy T. Jefferson, Wm. B. Jess, Edward S. Johnson, James A. Jones, James T. Jones, M. A. Jones, Strother T. Jones, Charles P. Kane, Alvin S. Keys, Edward D. Keys, Edward L. Keys, George E. Keys, John M. Kimble, Richard F. Kinsella, Ben M. Kirlin, Carl Klaholt, Benjamin Knudson, Geo. N. Kreider, B. A. Lange, Geo. C. Latham Henry C. Latham, F. M. Legg, Jerome A. Leland, Warren E. Lewis, Gersham J. Little, G. L. Lloyd, John H. Lloyd, Rev. T. D. Logan, E. F. Lomelino, Fred W. Long, Harry T. Loper, John S. Lord, Henry B. Lubbe, T. B. Luby, John Lutz, Thos. E. Lyon, Arthur D. Maekie, Alex. B. Macpherson, J. F. Macpherson, John Maldaner, James M. Margrave, William Marlowe, John D. Marney, H. W. Masters, Robert Matheny, James H. Matheny, A. F. Maurer, O. F. Maxon, R. H. McAnulty, John McCreery, ♦Deceased. James S. McCuUough, Frank M. McGowan, Harry 0. McGrue, J. F. McLennan, Henry B. McVeigh, John E. Melick, H. M. Merriam, J. F. Miller, L. S. Miller, Charles F. Mills, Lewis H. Miner, W. H. Minton, John P. Mockler, C. F. Mortimer, S. E. Munson, P. F. Murphy, Geo. W. Murray, Thos. J. Murray, Albert Myers, Lewis M. Myers, Harry W. Nickey, W. A. Northcott,
- Alfred Orendorff,
James R. Orr, E. W. Osborne, James H. Paddock, H. C. Page, Geo. Thomas Palmer, George Pasfield, Sr., George Pasfield, Jr., Warren E. Partridge, Charles L. Patton, James W. Patton, William L. Patton, Wm. A. Pavey, Edward W. Payne, Jesse K. Pay ton, D. Lyman Phillips, Herman Fieri k, John C. Pierik, A. C. Piersel, John Pope, Fred W. Potter, Rufus M. Potts, Charles A. Power, H. T. Pride, Arthur E. Prince,
- John A. Prince,
Edgar C. Pruitt, Henry G. Pyle, G. W. Quackenbush, John Quinlan, John P. Ramsey, Albert H. Rankin, Isaac N. Ransom, Verne Ray, Horace S. Rearden, Roy R. Reece, Thomas Rees, Frank Reisch, George Reisch, Leonard Reisch, Henry C. Remann, Benjamin Rich, William Ridgley, Chas. D. Roberts, Nicholas Roberts, Chas. H. Robinson, Edward S. Robinson, Roy F. Rogers, John D. Roper, James A. Rose, C. H. Rottger, Albert Salzenstein, Emanuel Salzenstein, L. J. Samuels, M. D. Schaff, C. H. Schonbacher, F. L. Sehlierbach, Emil G. Schmidt, John S. Schnepp J. B. Seholes, Saml. D. Seholes, Charles Schuck, J. H. Schuck, Edgar S. Scott, John W. Scott, O. G. Scott,
- Thomas W. Scott,
Roy M. Seeley, Richings J. Shand, William Sheehan, Lawrence Y. Sherman,
- Chas. M. Shepherd,
Wm. B. Shepherd, Clark B. Shipp, John H. Sikes, A. W. Sikking, Frank Simmons, Geo. M. Skelly, Dewit W. Smith, E. S. Smith, Hal M. Smith, Wm. W. Smith, E. A. Snively, H. M. Solenberger, W. C. Sommer, Latham T. Souther, J. W. Southwiek, W. J. Spaulding, E. A. Stadden, Geo. B. Stadden, W. C. Starck, Wm. H. Stead, Geo. F. Stericker,
- Heiiry A. Stevens,
J. H. Storj'. Sam'l J. Stout, R. H. Strongman, J. W. Stuart, Thos. W. Sudduth, Wm. H. SuUivan, W. W. Swett, Jr., H. G. Swirles, Louis C. Taylor, ♦Deceasad. Will Taylor. E. R. Thayer, W. A. Townsend, H. H. Tuttle, Joseph W. Vance, Burke Vaneil, Jas. R. B. Van Cleave, Walter S. Van Duyn, Peter Vredenburgh, Sr., Robert O. Vredenburg, Thos. D. Vredenburg, Wm. R. Vredenburg, C. H. Walters, J. C. Walters, Philip B. Warren, Howard K. Weber, Charles Werner, Loren E. Wheeler, J. E. White, Henry C. Whittemore, Frank Weidlocher, Horace L. Wiggins, Lewis N. Wiggins, Harry T. Willett, Samuel J. Willett, Daniel T. WilUams, Bluford Wilson, G. M. Wilson, H. Clay Wilson, Henry W. Wilson, J. F. Wilson, Thomas W. Wilson, Chas. G. Wineteer, T. E. Wing, C. M. Woods, W. F. Workman, Richard Yates, John York, W. A. Young, William Zapf , Joseph Zimmerman, Chas. W. Zumbrook, Abbtttnnal 2jtff MtmbtYB. ILLINOIS. A. A. Anderson, Springfield. William H. Behrens, Carlinville. Frank L. Burton, Carlinville. A. Campbell Brown, Springfield. Charles T. Bauman, Springfield. Samuel A. Bullard, Springfield. Noah M. Cass, Springfield. J. A. Cousley, Alton. Ira C. Cople5^ Aurora. Prank S. Dickson, Springfield. J, Carl Dodds, Litchfield. D. Frank Fawcett, Springfield. David Felmley. Normal. J. H. Feltham, Springfield. A. P. Grout, Winchester. A. L. Hereford, Springfield. Adelbert P. Higley, Springfield. Charles P. Hitch, Paris. W. J. Horn, Springfield. J. H. Hubbs, Prentice. S. H. Humphrey, Virden. W. M. Jageman, Springfield. A. J. Kennedy, Dekalb. Frank T. Kuhl, Springfield. Joseph Leiter, Chicago. Rodman C. O. Matheny, Springfield. R. N. McCauley, Normal. W. G. McRoberts, Peoria. A. H. McTaggert, Pana. Frank W. Morse, Chicago. W. H. Nelms, Springfield. Frank P. Norbury, Kankakee. J. B. Oakleaf, Moline. U. G. Orendorff, Canton. W. A. Orr, Springfield. P. J. O'Reilly, Springfield. William H. Parlin, Canton. A. J. Portch, Springfield. Carl M. Reisch, Springfield. Edward Reisch, Springfield. George Reisch, Jr., Springfield. Joseph Reisch, Springfield. W. E. Robinson, Springfield. C. W. H. Schuck, Springfield. Frank L. Shepherd, Chicago. Frank L. Smith, Dwight. George W. Smith, Carbondale. Albert D. Stevens, Springfield. J. Mack Tanner, Springfield. James W. Templeman, Springfield. Wm. E. Trautnian, East St. Louis. F. C. Wallbaum, Ashland. Joseph A. Weil, Peoria. Charles R. Wescott, Springfield. Frank D. Whipp, Springfield. Thomas Worthington, Jacksonville. MICHIGAN. Charles W. Post, Battle Creek. WISCONSIN.
John E. Burton, Milwaukee. 
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
From a photograph in the collection of the Illinois Historical Library. Evidence seems to show that the negative was made at Charleston, Illinois, during the Campaign of 1858.
The Lincoln Series, Vol. I
COLLECTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS STATE HISTORICAL LIBRARY VOLUME III LINCOLN SERIES, VOL. I THE LINCOLN-DOUGLAS DEBATES OF 1858 EDITED WITH INTRODUCTION AND NOTES BY EDWIN ERLE SPARKS, PH. D. PRESIDENT OF THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE COLLEGE: SOMETIME PROFESSOR OF AMERICAN HISTORY IN THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO Published by the Trustees of the ILLINOIS STATE HISTORICAL LIBRARY
SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS Copyright 1908 By
The Illinois State Historical Library
——————
Published August 1908
Composed and Printed By
The Illinois State Journal Company
Springneld, Illinois, U. S. A.STATE HISTORICAL LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES Edmund Janes James, Chairman McKendree Hypes Chamberlin, Vice-President George Nelson Black,' Secretary Mrs. Jessie Palmer Weber. Librarian ADVISORY COMMISSION Evarts Boutell Greene, Chairman James Alton James Edward Carleton Page Charles Henry Rammelkamp Edwin Erle Sparks^ Clarence Walworth Alvord Special Editor of Publications 'DECEASED
^RESIGNED MAY, 1908 PREFACE
A new edition of the speeches made by Stephen A. Douglas and Abraham Lincoln in the set debate during the Illinois senatorial canvass of 1858 would seem a worthy and appropriate part of the general commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of that event. While the campaign was local in its inception, it became national in its significance and in its results. The issues as brought out in the debate, especially in the speech of Douglas at Freeport, widened, if they did not open, the breach between him and the southern Democrats, made a split in the convention of 1860 a foregone conclusion, and thereby paved the way for Republican success and the election of Abraham Lincoln to the presidency. The debate also marked the high-tide of the "stump" method of campaigning; it furnishes, through the unusual space given to it in newspaper reports, an opportunity to study this unique phenomenon of frontier life; while the increasing number of printing presses, the extension of the mail routes, and consequent change in campaign methods, lend to this canvass the melancholy interest of a passing show. The speeches themselves are of a high order of debate, and of unusual import; those of Douglas set forth his untenable position and his impossible theory in the clearest terms; those of Lincoln state the arguments of the new Republican party as they had not been outlined before ; and the combined effect of the whole is a survey of the political aspect of the day not to be found elsewhere.
Many editions of the debates have been printed, beginning with that of 1860; a few have included speeches made by each participant, both before and after the set debates; some have added explanatory footnotes; but none have attempted to reproduce the local color from the press of the day. In this edition an effort is made by newspaper extracts and by reminiscences to give a picture of the crude though virile setting in this contest of two men so evenly matched in polemical power, yet so unlike in temperament and in physical appearance. Only those speeches are here reprinted which were delivered at the seven set meetings constituting in reality the Great Debate. The gist of the prior speeches is woven into the introduction.
The Columbus, Ohio, edition of 1860 is followed in this text, but the speeches as there reprinted have been compared with the originals—those of Lincoln with the files of the Chicago Press and Tribune, and those of Douglas with the Chicago Times—and the changes which the Columbus edition made in the official reports are here shown in the footnotes; and there has been also incorporated in the text the numerous interruptions of the speeches by the audiences. In the present edition, the largest type indicates the editor's explanatory comments; the next largest shows quotations, the source being indicated at the head; and the smallest size of type denotes quoted matter within a quotation.
The descriptions and comments reprinted from the newspapers of the day are by no means exhaustive; fully one-half the matter originally collected was rejected for lack of space; but much of it was immaterial, being made up of denunciation and attempts to belittle the other side, predictions of victory, and general comment, which threw no light on the events of the debate. The amount of reminiscential matter was reduced by the same test. Such illustrations were selected as lent themselves to illuminating the subject-matter. In collecting the extracts and the illustrations, the editor has visited many places, has searched through scores of newspaper files, and has levied upon the courtesy of librarians and friends, to mention whose names would involve a list of impossible proportions. That the edition may be of service to the student as well as to the general reader; that it may aid in bringing to their true proportions these two great citizens of Illinois; and that it may reflect some credit upon the General Assembly of Illinois through whose beneficence it is made possible, is the hope that sustains a labor of love.
Edwin Erle Sparks
The University of Chicago
March 11, 1908