Lincoln’s Speech of September 18, 1858
Lincoln’s Speech of September 18, 1858
Summary and Thesis
Mr. Lincoln’s Speech of September 18, 1858 was held in Southern Illinois were an estimate of 15,000 people attended. This marked the fourth occasion of the seven debates done in series on the issue of Slavery. The occasion was a debate between Abraham Lincoln, a former congress man of United States and Stephen Douglas, the then powerful Illinois senator. The two were vying for the legislature of Illinois for their respective parties. The spilt of opinion arose from the point that whether or not the Federal government would manage to restrict slavery use just as was the case of Illinois. Mr. Lincoln thesis in the Speech is that it is the personal choice of the new states; Nebraska and Kansa to decide for themselves on whether or not to incorporated slavery in their territories.
Evident
The Speech by Lincoln is considered a prophetic speech than a report for he faced the same challenges during the1860 presidential elections The speech clearly drew the boundary between the opinion of the Southerners and those of the Northern and the unwillingness of the two parties to compromise. What followed after the debate was the signing of Kansas- Nebraska bill.
The main theme of Lincoln speech is the individual responsibility of the state to continue using slaves or to stop the use of slavery in the respective states. Lincoln argues that Douglas aim was to nationalize slavery and called for the need of national policy to prevent the spread of slavery.
Lincoln had been accused of being and abolitionist by stating that, “he has never and is not in favor to introduce political and social equality of black and white races….” This according to critics like Fredrick Douglass is the denial of abolitionists a way of effective politics and the refrain to express prejudice against the black race. The term the Negro in his speech and at the same time the denial of slavery shows lack of consistency in his principles especially on the issue of equality of races. He states that he is not in favor of making the blacks “to vote or make them Jurors”. They are further not to intermarry with them simply because there is the “physical difference” between the two races. This according to him will forbid any form of equality between the two races. One race should remain superior to the other which is the White dominating the blacks then later in his speech, he is against slavery yet is it an act of dominance of the black race. Lincoln believes that the alteration of political and social relations can only be done in the state legislature. But, this according to him “cannot happen in United States congress”. The best solution is too giving the responsibility to the judge to decide the “best interest for the state legislature”.
Conclusion
Lincoln speech shows his position on slavery that he does not care whether slavery is supported by a state or not supported. The choice should b left to the Supreme Court to decide on the use of slavery. Lincoln position on race is that all races will remain socially and politically unequal. The blacks will be dominated by the white races because of their physical appearance and that no legislative reform will change this fact especially in the UnitedState. He was in for a big surprise!
Reference
Senator a Lincoln’s Fourth Joint Debate with Senator Stephen Douglas at Charleston, Illinois
Lincoln’s Speech of September 18, 1858
Is this your assignment or some part of it?
We can do it for you! Click to Order!
