Political Debates Between Hon. Abraham Lincoln and Hon. Stephen Douglas, In the Celebrated Campaign of 1858, in Illinois.

LINCOLN, Abraham.

$5,500.00

Item Number: 145433

Columbus: Follett, Foster and Company, 1860.

First edition, first issue of the most famous debates in American history which cemented Lincoln as a national presidential candidate. Octavo, original cloth stamped in blind. First issue, with no rule above the publisher’s imprint on the copyright page, no advertisements, and numeral 2 at the bottom of page 17. In very good condition with some loss to the crown and foot of the spine, light rubbing to the extremities, a few tiny closed tears to the top edge, bookplate to the front pastedown, ownership inscription to the front free endpaper. Housed in a custom folding chemise and half morocco slipcase.

Running as a little-known candidate for the Illinois senatorship in 1858, Lincoln challenged incumbent and Democratic leader Stephen Douglas to a series of debates. The result was a memorable chain of lively arguments in front of cheering crowds. Though Lincoln lost the senatorial race, “he began collecting a scrapbook of his best speeches, particularly those from the just-concluded campaign against Douglas, for possible inclusion in a book. Assiduously pasting newspaper accounts of the debates into the scrapbook, Lincoln cast about for a publisher. Initial efforts failed, mainly because Lincoln wanted the book printed in Springfield, which had no local publishing or printing facilities. Eventually, however, the Columbus, Ohio, firm of Follett, Foster & Company showed interest, and he began preparing the first edition… Somewhat surprisingly for an attorney, Lincoln did not seek Douglas’ permission to publish a book of their combined speeches, although Douglas was later given the last-minute opportunity—he declined—to make corrections to his own remarks” (Morris, 121).