The issue of slavery was the central issue of the Lincoln- Douglas debates, a series of seven debates on the question of slavery between the Republican candidate, Abraham Lincoln, and the Democratic candidate, Stephen Douglas. While the Republicans were known to have a sterner approach to slavery and its abolition, the Democrats were more moderate and were looking for ways to incorporate the institution of slavery within the American society, or to normalize it. The theme of the debates being slavery, Lincoln and Douglas argued about the approach to the spread of slavery to the states. While Lincoln wanted slavery to be abolished completely as he found the institution of slavery to be morally and psychologically degrading, and against the concept of equality of all men, Senator Douglas recognized the importance of the institution of slavery in the commercial ventures of the United States. He believed that free states should decide on the issue of slavery through popular sovereignty, which would give regional governments significant powers to make laws on the subject of slavery.
Further Explanation-
The Lincoln Douglas debates also reflected the tussle between the extent of control that would be exercised by the Federal and the Regional governments. The using of the tool of popular sovereignty would only defeat Lincoln’s visions behind the abolition of slavery, as it would take the issue of slavery out of the Federal Government’s jurisdiction, and place it within the jurisdiction of the regional governments, which would grant them more autonomy, and this would be a threat to the unity of the United States. The issue of whether slavery would continue or not would now be decided by the people of the state, and their decisions would mostly be influenced by economic and commercial interests rather than opposing slavery on humanitarian grounds. Lincoln wanted to enforce national jurisdiction over the limitation of the practice of slavery, a step which he believed was necessary, in the emancipation and freedom of African – Americans, and he also wanted to integrate them within the mainstream American society.
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Answer Details-
Grade- High School
Chapter- The build-up to the American Civil War
Subject- History
Keywords-
Slavery, opposition, a moderate approach, popular sovereignty, federal control, national jurisdiction, regional control.
