Political Debates Between Hon. Abraham Lincoln and Hon. Stephen A. Douglas, in the Celebrated Campaign of 1858, in Illinois...
Columbus, OH: Follett, Foster and Comapny, 1860. 1st Edition. 8vo. Good. Item #14638
Scarce 1st printing, with the number '2' at the bottom of page 17 and without the variant publisher ads, as called for in Monaghan.
An uncommon documentation of the famous debates between the two candidates during the Campaign of 1858 to represent the State of Illinois in the U.S. Senate, including speeches by both candidates leading up to the debates.
This important volume includes Lincoln's famous 'House Divided' speech in which he prophetically predicted -
"A house divided against itself cannot stand. I believe this government cannot endure, permanently half slave and half free."
Although Lincoln lost the 1858 election, his handling of the issue of slavery throughout the debates catapulted him to national prominence and helped secure him the Republican Presidential nomination in 1860, an election he would win.
This issue contains what appears to be a forged Lincoln inscription in contemporary iron gall ink on a front flyleaf - "John D. Gilbert From A. Lincoln 1860".
Brown cloth stamped in blind with gilt titling on spine. Square tight binding. Moderate rubbing and edge wear to binding.
Sporadic foxing throughout, though more significant on the outer pages. The last 40 or so pages with a light dampstain along the top. A very small related ancient newspaper clipping about an inch deep, one column wide glued down to front pastedown and a few light pencil notations on the end papers.
Overall a handsome copy of a scarce and very important 1st Edition. (Monaghan, 69; Howes, L338).
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