The Lincoln and Douglas debates in the senatorial campaign of 1858 in Illinois

Preface

In his " Twenty Years of Congress," James G. Blaine characterizes the Lincoln-Douglas debates of 1858 as " a discussion which at the time was so interesting as to enchain the attention of a nation, in its immediate effect so striking as to effect the organization of parties, in its subsequent effect so powerful as to change the fate of millions." But both as historical documents and as masterpieces of the art of debate they are little known by the present generation. The editor of these selections has prepared them for the sake of their indisputable value in both respects. As a teacher of argumentation he has felt the lack of available material illustrative of the thrust-and-parry of actual debate, and designs this volume to supply what is almost a total deficiency among edited specimens of argument.

Of the seven joint debates of the campaign the speeches in three are printed entire — those in the debates at Freeport, at Galesburgh, and at Alton; being the second, fifth, and seventh of the series. They took place before audiences ranging in political sympathy from a strongly preponderant abolition sentiment at Freeport, to an equally preponderant pro-slavery sentiment at Alton. Their subject matter includes all the essential issues of the cam-

Contents

Introduction ix

Second Joint Debate at Freeport 14

Lincoln's Address at Cooper Institute .... 215