Matthew Feltham-Chase

Edited by Emily via email

4/25/2016
Lincoln vs Douglas

Marsh & Vannerso, 1860, 1859 (Wikipedia.org/public domain)

There is a lot if debate as to who won the debates between Abraham Lincoln and
Stephen Douglas, however I believe Lincoln won in the end. Although Douglas won
the senate seat these debates opened the door to Lincoln for the presidential
election. What Lincoln said in these debates set the framework for what he is
remembered by through history. Lincoln was titled as a radical but some of his ideas
changed the world. These reasons are why I believe Abraham Lincoln won in the
end.
Throughout the debates Douglas contests Lincoln that the nation does not require
any change in the respect to slavery. Douglas on one hand wanted slavery to
spread, Lincoln explains this by stating it is to become national and perpetual,
now a days this idea would be horrifying but in 1858 it gathered a substantial
amount of support. The north and south separation was very real and the support
for both runners was in constant sway. The idea of a nation of slaves today would be
viewed as world problem, similar to the viewing of North Korea, with the average
treatment of its citizens bordering on torturous. Douglas argues that the nation
shouldve endured as its founders had intended it to, leaving the managing of
slaves to the states, which would entitle the northern free states to make their own
laws concerning the treatment if it peoples. I see this as a moral victory for Lincoln
as he wishes to end the spread of slavery into the northern states, it is not the
Lincoln we know trying to end slavery in its entirety however it is a step in the right
direction.
The biggest aspect of Lincolns victory is his presidency, although he lost the senate
seat he progressed further than Douglas in the long run. Two years after the
debates Abraham Lincoln was elected as president, and what he accomplished in
those four years still has an effect in todays society. His idea of stopping the
progression of slavery took to another level, and thus began the civil war, a fight to
end slavery across the nation. Looking back through history today we remember

Lincoln for his efforts in bringing down the confederate south and ending the
enslavement of African American people nationwide. This is the main reason I
personally believe that Lincoln won, being from Canada I know very little about the
history of the United States of America, I do however know about Abraham Lincoln
and the good he did the nation while in office. That being said I had never heard
about Stephen Douglas before this class. This reinforces my personal idea that
honest Abe won overall seeing as his name is recognized internationally. It goes to
show the caliber of man he may have been in his time when it is taught that he was
a heroic icon even in another nation entirely.
It may be seen that Lincoln lost the debates with Douglas, the biggest point of this
is that the two individuals were running against each other for a seat on the senate,
this went to Stephen Douglas. Seeing as Douglas was sitting on the senate most
people find that logically the winner of the debates got the seat. However Douglas
never progressed past the senate, even after he ran for president. His name is not
commonly recognized throughout the public. It is in this aspect I believe he lost, like
the common phrase won the battle, but lost the war Douglas lost the war.
Although Douglas won the senate seat it is said that at that point the nation saw a
rising star in the defeated Lincoln(ushistory.org).
This is a highly controversial point in history with compelling arguments on both
sides it is my personal belief that Abraham Lincoln won hands down on the
historical impact aspect of these events. He may not have known it at the time but
Lincoln started something that would change the nation and even arguably the
world. We are still feeling the aftereffects with people fighting for equally rights in
the United States, a big argument recently was equal pay for women. Although a
stretch it could be argued that when Lincoln fought for the freedom and equal rights
of the slaves it changed the way the public though about what they deserved in life,
an idea that we still see today for better or worse. All in all honest Abe had a more
noticeable effect on the history of the nation in comparison to Douglas, so he
deserves to be the overall victor.

University Libraries, N.d. (Lincoln.lib.niu.edu/public domain)