A crowd gathered of what was estimate in the sum of 20,000 in Freeport on August 27, 1858. In Freeport Lincoln used Douglas's own words to make his to put emphasis on his rebuttals. Lincoln used an appeal to logos to make a strong use of dialectics. Lincoln stated the following in early in his hour and a half of time to speak, "I now propose that I will answer any of the interrogatories, upon condition that he will answer quest ions from me not exceeding the same number. I give him an opportunity to respond. The Judge remains silent. I now say that I will answer his interrogatories, whether he answers mine or not; and that after I have done so, I shall propound mine to him."
After answering all of his questions Lincoln went ahead and asked Douglass his own set of questions. The odd thing was that once Douglas had answered his set of question, Lincoln did not pursue the answers any further after Douglas had concluded. However, according to most sources Lincoln add little to gain from obtaining local support that day but he did gain the attention of the of a much larger audience through his debate address in Freeport.
Douglas made it clear that he would support popular sovereignty in the extent that was for freedom. Lincoln was able to turn the tables on his opponent making him an extremist in his own campaign. He used this strategy his was able to clash the bond that Douglass had made during the debate in Ottwa on August 21.
Although this debate had greater attendance, more media coverage, and contain better use of symbolic meaning towards the campaign it didn't make an change the votes for the candidates
Lincoln on the defensive
The Chicago Tribune made a positive view on the first Lincoln-Douglas debate: “The Ottawa debate gave great satisfaction to our side. Mr. Lincoln, we thought, had the better of the argument, and we all came away encouraged. But the Douglas men were encouraged also. In his concluding half hour, Douglas spoke with great rapidity and animation, and yet with perfect distinctness, and his supporters cheered him wildly.” ( Ab L : A press Portrait page 107)
Next time you hear someone mention something about the Douglas-Lincoln debates: Listen up! Lincoln has something to say. On Saturday we saw the crowds come in from every form of transportation. Lincoln came by railroad and Douglas by carriage in order to meet together in the public square.
“At two o’clock the multitude gathered in the public square, the sun shining down with great intensity, and the few trees affording but little shade. It would seem that the most exposed part of the city was selected for the speaking .” –Chicago Press and Tribune, August 23, 1858
Douglas’s said the following in his first hour and half of the debate, “That we believe this truth to be self-evident, that when parties become subversive of the ends for which they are established, or incapable of restoring the government to the true principles of the constitution, it is the right and duty of the people to dissolve the political bands by which they may have been connected therewith, and to organize new parties upon such principles and with such views as the circumstances and exigencies of the nation may demand.”
Douglas had to reach a common ground with his audience that was vastly represented by Republicans. Stephen Douglas had a well developed strategy for the debate, making Lincoln come across as an extremist. Towards the end Douglas sets Lincoln up by stating rhetorical questions over and over. As Douglas concluded, the Republicans hung their heads as the audience gave Douglas a roar of applause.
When Lincoln approached his audience he was generously welcomed by his supporters. In order to rebuttal the extremist strategy that Douglass used against him, he went off topic from his original intended speech and spent a large sum of time reading from on his speeches from 1854. Douglass had used the argument previously that “I desire to know whether Mr. Lincoln today stands as he did in 1854, in favor of the unconditional repeal of the fugitive slave law.”
The vivid headlines ran in the Chicago Times as “Lincoln’s Heart Fails Him! Lincoln’s Legs Fail Him! Lincoln’s Tongue Fails Him!”
Lincoln’s strategy for debate was not well developed and as a result he came across has being very defensive. He didn’t come across well trying to exchange arguments and counter-arguments respectively towards Douglass.
The Chicago Times made a stab on Lincoln’s dialectic “his acquaintance with dialectics is quite equal to his knowledge of logic. And his rhetoric is worse than either.”
Next time you hear someone mention something about the Douglas-Lincoln debates: Listen up! Lincoln has something to say. On Saturday we saw the crowds come in from every form of transportation. Lincoln came by railroad and Douglas by carriage in order to meet together in the public square.
“At two o’clock the multitude gathered in the public square, the sun shining down with great intensity, and the few trees affording but little shade. It would seem that the most exposed part of the city was selected for the speaking .” –Chicago Press and Tribune, August 23, 1858
Douglas’s said the following in his first hour and half of the debate, “That we believe this truth to be self-evident, that when parties become subversive of the ends for which they are established, or incapable of restoring the government to the true principles of the constitution, it is the right and duty of the people to dissolve the political bands by which they may have been connected therewith, and to organize new parties upon such principles and with such views as the circumstances and exigencies of the nation may demand.”
Douglas had to reach a common ground with his audience that was vastly represented by Republicans. Stephen Douglas had a well developed strategy for the debate, making Lincoln come across as an extremist. Towards the end Douglas sets Lincoln up by stating rhetorical questions over and over. As Douglas concluded, the Republicans hung their heads as the audience gave Douglas a roar of applause.
When Lincoln approached his audience he was generously welcomed by his supporters. In order to rebuttal the extremist strategy that Douglass used against him, he went off topic from his original intended speech and spent a large sum of time reading from on his speeches from 1854. Douglass had used the argument previously that “I desire to know whether Mr. Lincoln today stands as he did in 1854, in favor of the unconditional repeal of the fugitive slave law.”
The vivid headlines ran in the Chicago Times as “Lincoln’s Heart Fails Him! Lincoln’s Legs Fail Him! Lincoln’s Tongue Fails Him!”
Lincoln’s strategy for debate was not well developed and as a result he came across has being very defensive. He didn’t come across well trying to exchange arguments and counter-arguments respectively towards Douglass.
The Chicago Times made a stab on Lincoln’s dialectic “his acquaintance with dialectics is quite equal to his knowledge of logic. And his rhetoric is worse than either.”
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