what he thought best, let every such one have charity to believe that
every other one can say as much. Let bygones be bygones; let past
differences as nothing be; and with steady eye on the real issue, let
us re-inaugurate the good old 'central ideas' of the republic. We can do
it. The human heart is with us; God is with us. We shall again be able
to declare, not that 'all states as states are equal,' nor yet that
'all citizens as citizens are equal,' but to renew the broader, better
declaration, including these and much more, that 'all men are created
equal.'"

It was upon the wisdom of this plan that, four years later, he held the
foes of slavery united, while the foes of freedom were divided among
themselves. It was this that carried the party to its first victory and
made him president.




CHAPTER XV.

THE BATTLE OF THE GIANTS.


The admiring friends of Douglas had given him the nickname of "the
little giant." To this he was fairly entitled. Physically he was very
little. Intellectually he was a giant. He was in 1858 perhaps the most
prominent man in the United States. He was the unquestioned leader of
the dominant party. He had been so long in public life that he was
familiar with every public question, while upon the burning question of
slavery he was the leader.