Face to face with his competitor, he could no longer successfully assume airs of superiority, or wrap himself in his Senatorial dignity and prestige.

They were equal spokesmen, of equal parties, on an equal platform, while applause and encouragement on one side balanced applause and encouragement on the other.
In a merely forensic sense, it was indeed a battle of giants.

In the whole field of American politics no man has equaled Douglas in the expedients and strategy of debate.

Lacking originality and constructive logic, he had great facility in appropriating by ingenious restatement the thoughts and formulas of others.

He was tireless, ubiquitous, unseizable.