In 1856 James Buchanan Became President
In 1858 the campaign over a Senate seat helped shape people's views of slavery. Stephen A. Douglas was the incumbent, or current, Illinois senator running for re-election. Many people thought he would be a good candidate for president in 1860. Abraham Lincoln ran against him. He was a little known lawyer who had served one term in the Illinois State Senate.
The candidates agreed to seven debates across Illinois. The debates grew huge crowds of up to 15,000 people. The debates were not like today’s debates. One candidate will speak for an hour and then the other candidate will speak for 90 minutes in the first candidate will speak for another 30 minutes.
The key issue in the debates was the spread of slavery. Douglas believed in the idea of popular sovereignty. He believed each state should decide for itself whether or not to allow slavery. Douglas had helped write the Compromise of 1850 and the Kansas-Nebraska Act. Both ask allowed states to decide whether to become free state or slave states.
Abraham Lincoln opposed popular sovereignty. He believes slavery was in moral and should not be allowed to spread. He accused Douglas of wanting to make slavery legal nationwide. He did not argue for the abolition of slavery. He was anti-slavery but was not an abolitionist.
Lincoln gave another famous speech during the campaign. Except in the nomination, he proclaimed that the country must choose whether to allow slavery. He cannot continue to have free states and slave states. I house divided against itself cannot stand, he said. He argued that slavery spread, it would eventually become legal throughout the country. If it did not spread, it would eventually be outlawed.
In the end, Lincoln Boston Douglass was reelected. However, Lincoln was a real winner. He go national recognition. Abolitionist I guess and Ashlee reviews. They supported him two years later, in the presidential election of 1860. In that election, Lincoln would again face Douglas, along with two other candidates, and this time he would win.
The debate between Lincoln and Douglas had a festival atmosphere. The crowd would often get involved in the debate. They were cheering, shot questions, and even her golden speakers.