Abraham Lincoln, Honest Abe, is one of the greatest He is known today for his Presidency in which hefought the Confederacy during the Civil War and abolished slavery with the Emancipation Proclamation and later the Thirteenth Amendment. He was aintelligent, honest, and just leader who governed at a critical time in America. However, he wasn’t sure of what to do with slavery in the states where it already existed in. In 1856, Lincoln switched from the Whig Party to the Republican Party because the Whigs were weak and could never unite against slavery. Lincoln felt that if he wanted to make a point he would have to be with a strong party.In 1858, Lincoln won the Republican Nomination for the Illinois Senate seat.He wanted the seat of his long time rival, Senator Stephen Douglas. InLincoln’s first speech for his Senate campaign Lincoln said, “I believe thisgovernment cannot endure, permanently, half slave and half free.” Lincolnwarned his opponents that the spread of slavery must be stopped or else itwould become “lawful in all the states; old as well as new- north as well asasouth.” In July of 1958, Lincoln challenged Senator Douglas to series of seven three-hour, public debates. Thousands of people showed up to watch the Little Giant (Douglas) vs. Long Abe. Douglas fought for white supremacy. He believed the country could endure half free and half slave. Douglas said whites made this country therefore they should run it. Lincoln wanted equality. During one debate Lincoln said: “There is no reason in the world why the Negro is not entitled to all the natural rights enumerated in the Declaration of Independence, the right of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. I hold that he is as much entitled to these as the white man.” In the ...
