Before engaging in the debates with Senator Stephen A. Douglas, Lincoln was relatively unknown in the political world and was just beginning his career in politics. Abraham Lincoln's reputation was just starting to grow, and his life was about to make a drastic change. The Lincoln-Douglas debates of 1858 were a turning point in Abraham Lincoln's political career.

Lincoln had served four terms in the Illinois legislature, and now desired an office with greater prestige. Lincoln had served the Whig Party well, and election to Congress became his goal.

In 1843 and 1844, Lincoln lost the nomination for Congress to other candidates. Although disappointed, he kept striving for his goal. Finally, in 1846, his hard work had paid off. Abraham Lincoln won the Whig nomination for the U. S. House of Representatives.

Lincoln started his Congressional career on December 6, 1847. He failed to make the reputation he had hoped for in Congress. Some of his main tasks included, a bill that would free slaves in the District of Columbia and supporting the Wilmot Proviso, banning slavery in territories acquired from Mexico. He also supported the Whig policy which had the government

"It was the wit and wisdom of Abraham Lincoln that first won him the hearts of the people. Prior to his election as president in 1860 he never held a higher post than that of a one-term Illinois congressman. But people

Becoming president was Lincoln's most astonishing accomplishment.

The next encounter took place in Quincy, Illinois, on Wednesday, October 13, 1858. This was the nastiest of the campaigns. It focused on personal issues of both speakers, and the differences in speaking techniques, physical appearances, and personalities. Lincoln made sure that he was not assumed to be an abolitionist. He would sometimes bend his knees and body and shoot up to show emphasis on a certain point. Although there was a lot of seriousness, there was also some laughter and humor. At the conclusion of the debate, there was a "splendid torchlight procession" by the Republicans. (Cuomo 101).

trusted Lincoln instinctively because he seemed wiser than other men, and

Abraham Lincoln decided to reenter politics. At that point in time, there had been a sudden change in the national theme towards slavery. The Missouri Compromise of 1820 had prohibited slavery in territories north of Missouri's southern boundary. Then in 1854, Senator Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois introduced the Kansas-Nebraska Act. "I [Lincoln] think, and shall try to show, that it is wrong; wrong in its direct effect, letting slavery into Kansas and Nebraska-and wrong in its prospective principle, allowing it to spread to every part of the wide world, where men can be found inclined to take it" (Fehrenbacher, Lincoln, 1832-1858 510). Lincoln was against Douglas' principles and wanted to stand up for what he believed was right. Richard Heckman states in his book, Lincoln vs. Douglas, that "It was not until 1854 that he [Lincoln] again emerged as an active political figure" (35).

"The printed debates proved highly advantageous to Lincoln, and since little actual campaigning was done by presidential nominees in 1860, Lincoln was able to refer the electorate to his position in 1858 as printed in the Follet, Foster publication. The issues were the same as were his proposed solutions" (Heckman 144).

The first of the seven joint debates took place in Ottawa, Illinois, on Saturday, August 21, 1858. Lincoln knew that he was inexperienced and there was a lot he had to learn. Lincoln opened with confidence. He knew that the Judge [Douglas] was a great man, and that he was a small man, but he thought he could defeat Douglas (Fehrenbacher, Lincoln, 1832-1858 518). Lincoln spoke in a totally contrasting style than Douglas. Douglas was offensive and wanted to make his point known. While on the other hand, Lincoln joked and spoke rather laid back. The audience was amused by Lincoln's style of speaking, and laughed and applauded many times. Although the audience was amused, his Republican Party was not. They wanted Lincoln to be more aggressive in the next debate. Lincoln had never been applauded and didn't know what to make of it. He now knew that there were people on his side.

The next debate was at Jonesboro on Wednesday, September 15, 1858. It had the smallest crowd of all the debates. Lincoln was raised close to Jonesboro, and thought that he could connect with the people. However, Douglas was brought up further North. But, Lincoln was wrong, it was anything but Lincoln country. The majority of the people were for slavery, not against it. This debate proved disappointing for Lincoln and his followers. He had to bounce back in the next debate, in Charleston. The people felt sorry for Lincoln while Douglas spoke. And then, they felt even more sorry for Douglas, when Lincoln spoke.

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