val for the
hand of the fascinating Mary Todd, was also Lincoln's chief opponent in
politics. Douglas was small and brilliant; used to society ways, he
seemed always to keep ahead of his tall, uncouth, plodding competitor.
After going to Congress, Mr. Lincoln was encouraged to aspire even
higher, so, ten years later, he became a candidate for the Senate.
Slavery was then the burning question, and Douglas seemed naturally to
fall upon the opposite side, favoring and justifying it in every way he
could.

Douglas was then a member of the Senate, but the opposing party
nominated Lincoln to succeed him, while "the Little Giant" had been
renominated to succeed himself. Douglas sneered at his tall opponent,
trying to "damn him with faint praise" by referring to him as "a kind,
amiable and intelligent gentleman." Mr. Lincoln challenged the Senator
to discuss the issues of the hour in a series of debates.

Douglas was forced, very much against his will, to accept, and the
debates took place in seven towns scattered over the State of Illinois,
from August 21st to October 15th, 1858. Lincoln had announced his belief
that "a house divided against itself cannot stand;" therefore the United
States could not long exist "half slave and half free."

"The Little Giant" drove from place to place in great style, traveling
with an escort of influential friends. These discussions, known in
history as the "Lincoln-Douglas Debates," rose to national importance
while they were in progress, by attracting the attention, in the
newspapers, of voters all over the country. They were attended, on an
average, by ten thousand persons each, both men being accompanied by
bands and people carrying banners and what Mr. Lincoln called
"fizzlegigs and fireworks."

Some of the banners were humorous.

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| Abe the Giant-Killer |
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was one. Another read:

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| Westward the Star of Empire takes its way; |
|The girls link on to Lincoln, their mothers were for Clay. |
| |
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At the first debate Lincoln took off his l