The Great Debate (Part II)

Continuing from Alonzo Wheeler Jerome's The Great Debate:

On the Lincoln side, and seated nearest to him, is a figure, which it is almost certain, is intended to represent Judge Stephen T. Logan. and, if so, he is properly placed, as he was very near to Lincoln, in all his political life.

Next to Logan, is a face which was thought by a lady visitor from Bloomington, to resemble "Old Ike Funk," he, who electrified the Senate, during a session of that body in which the "great war" was under discussion, by an impromptu speech that made him famous.

Standing behind this figure, is that of a patriot so well and so widely known, that few fail to recognize it, yet so little has been said or written about this work, that the grand old man himself, did not know he was represented in that group of great men, until his attention was called to it a short time since. After quite a prolonged examination of the picture, he handed back the opera glass, and said, "I guess you're right, I'll come again, I'll come again." He had been asked if he could identify any other of the faces in the picture. No effort was made to detain him, he was entitled to release from attendance, and to have opportunity to indulge in the thoughts that platform scene suggested, and the memories it brought back to him.

As a lawyer at the Illinois bar, as a member of the Constitutional Convention of 1847, as a State Senator, Colonel of the 14th Illinois Infantry, Major General commanding the 14th Army Corps, as Provisional Governor of Kentucky, as Governor of Illinois, and as United States Senator, General Palmer has rendered his State and Country great and excellent service. Not only for these duties well done, but because of he prominence as a friend of Lincoln, and earnest supporter of the doctrine of opposition to the extension of slavery, is he entitled to the honor of a place by the side of the greatest of our country's great men, as he appears in this marvellous work of art.

Who else may be represented there, few have attempted to suggest. There are twenty figures in the plaque, and Matheny, Judd, Stuart, Lovejoy, Wentworth, Washburn, Browning, might have all been given places there, and some of them may be there. Could we learn who furnished the artist, F. Nicolai, with the photographs and engravings he used, and coached him while doing the work, we might be able to identify every historic face shown in the several plates. To him, as well as to the artist, great credit is due for his selection of subjects for illustration.

It may be, the picture under consideration was intended to present the platform as it appeared at some particular one of the seven joint debates, which took place in 1858, at Ottawa, August, 21st; Freeport, August 27th; Jonesboro, September 15th; Charleston, September 18th; Galesburg, October 7th; Quincy, October 13th, and at Alton, October 15th. If so, it seems probable that the Galesburg debate was selected for this picture, as that appears to have been the most notable of the meetings.

Are there not yet some living, who can tell the names of the representative men occupying the platform with Lincoln and Douglas, on that occasion? True it is, that forty years, just forty years at this writing, have passed since that event, but men who were thirty years of age at that time, are but seventy now, and surely there must be many still with us who can name at least one or two of the men shown on the platform.

graphic by Jeff Bucchino, "The Wizard of Draws"