262 ChApTEr 1 1 | the Union Undone? | period Five 18 44 –1877p rACTICINg historical Thinking
Identify: Explain Taney’s reasons for his decision.
Analyze: What founding documents does he cite as evidence?
Evaluate: To what extent is Taney upholding these founding documents? To what
extent is he overturning them?Document 11.7 aBrahaM linColn, Speech
at edwardsville, illinois
1858In 1858, Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865) gained national attention in his campaign for the
United States Senate against Senator Stephen A. Douglas, an Illinois judge and coauthor
of the Compromise of 1850 and the Kansas-Nebraska Act. In a series of speeches around
Illinois, Lincoln made a moderate case for halting slavery’s spread. Lincoln gave the fol-
lowing speech as part of his debates with Douglas.I have been requested to give a concise statement, as I understand it, of the dif-
ference between the Democratic and the Republican parties on the leading issues
of this campaign. The question has just been put to me by a gentleman whom I
do not know. I do not even know whether he is a friend of mine or a supporter
of Judge Douglas in this contest; nor does that make any difference. His question
is a pertinent one and, though it has not been asked me anywhere in the State
before, I am very glad that my attention has been called to it to-day. Lest I should
forget it, I will give you my answer before proceeding with the line of argument I
had marked out for this discussion.
The difference between the Republican and the Democratic parties on the
leading issue of this contest, as I understand it, is, that the former consider slav-
ery a moral, social and political wrong, while the latter do not consider it either a
moral, social or political wrong; and the action of each, as respects the growth of
the country and the expansion of our population, is squared to meet these views.
I will not allege that the Democratic party consider slavery morally, socially and
politically right; though their tendency to that view has, in may [my] opinion,
been constant and unmistakable for the past five years. I prefer to take, as the
accepted maxim of the party, the idea put forth by Judge Douglas, that he “don’t
care whether slavery is voted down or voted up.” I am quite willing to believe that
many Democrats would prefer that slavery be always voted down, and I am sure
that some prefer that it be always “voted up”; but I have a right to insist that their
action, especially if it be their constant and unvarying action, shall determine theirTopIC I | the Breakdown of Compromise 26312_STA_2012_ch11_251-274.indd 262 23/03/15 5:34 PM