Abraham Lincoln
At the time of the Lincoln-Douglas challenge of July 1858, Stephen A. Douglas was an experienced, incumbent U.S. Senator; Abraham Lincoln was a lawyer in private practice with little successful office-holding experience. Illinois Republicans had nominated him to face Douglas because of his skill at making speeches and his ability to frame the issue of slavery in a manner that conveyed visceral opposition to the institution without antagonizing racist American voters.
Douglas had every reason to avoid Lincoln's challenge to debate. As the incumbent, he had an advantage in terms of name recognition. The senator chose to voluntarily debate his challenger because he agreed with Lincoln that slavery was a growing crisis and because he had faith that his own doctrine of popular sovereignty would create a solution to the dilemma.
At first, Douglas appeared to be the winner in this challenge. His legislative candidates defeated the Republicans in November 1858, thereby assuring Douglas's re-election as U.S. senator. However, Lincoln and Douglas re-visited the issue of slavery in the U.S. presidential election of 1860. And in this final contest between the two men, Lincoln was the victor.
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Famous quotes by abraham lincoln:
“I go for all sharing the privileges of the government, who assist in bearing its burthens.”
—Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865)
“Let us have faith that right makes might, and in that faith, let us, to the end, dare to do our duty as we understand it.”
—Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865)
“Property is the fruit of labor—property is desirable—is a positive good in the world.”
—Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865)
“Every man is said to have his peculiar ambition. Whether it be true or not, I can say for one that I have no other so great as that of being truly esteemed of my fellow men....”
—Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865)
“I was born and have ever remaind [sic] in the most humble walks of life.”
—Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865)