Lincoln-Douglas Debates

Abraham Lincoln (standing, center) and Stephen Douglas (seated, to left of Lincoln) held a series of debates during the campaign for senator of Illinois.


During the year 1858, in Illinois, the campaign for senator was taking place.  The two candidates in this campaign were Republican candidate Abraham Lincoln and Democratic candidate Stephen Douglas (nicknamed "The Little Giant").  During the debates, the two candidates had differing views over the primary subject of debate, slavery.  Abraham Lincoln, although not an abolitionist, believed that slavery was morally wrong and should not be allowed to spread into the Western territories.  Douglas, on the other hand, believed that states should have to right to decide on slavery using popular sovereignty (as demonstrated in the Compromise of 1850).  During the debates, Lincoln cornered Douglas by asking if the people of a territory could legally ban slavery before becoming a state.  If he responded yes, he would be losing his Southern support.  However, if he answered no, he would be dropping the principles on which he was running in the campaign.  In hope of averting any offense to any party, he responded with what became known as the Freeport Doctrine.  He stated that he accepted the ruling of the Dred Scott case, but said people could keep slavery out by simply not passing laws to regulate slavery.  Douglas's response, contrary to his hope, angered Southern supporters.

In the end, Lincoln lost the election, and Douglas was reelected a Senator of Illinois.  Despite his loss int he campaign for Senator, the debates put Abraham Lincoln on the political radar, which eventually led to his election as president.