North American History

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North American History

        In the words of Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas, two great rivals in American History, were not only their honor and image, but the principles and ideals that would lead the legislation of a country in the frustrated process of amalgamation and integration. As Abraham Lincoln proposed in his Republican State Convention of 1858 speech, there were two American clashing ideologies in debate, ideologies that could not coexist forever within a “House Divided”. Moreover, he emphasizes his beliefs when he states:

“Either the opponents of slavery will arrest the further spread of it, and place it where the public mind shall rest in the belief that it is in the course of ultimate extinction, or its advocates will push it forward till it shall become alike lawful in all the States, old as well as new, North as well as South” (Lincoln)

By his immediate rhetorical question of “Have we no tendency to the latter condition?” (Lincoln) it is obvious that he, as a republican and abolitionist, is against the prevailing of the institution of slavery, something that is put into doubt by the accusations made to him by his opponent who adheres himself to prove the lack of congruence in Lincoln’s speeches. This accusation can be tangible to a point, for the speeches were more emphatic towards certain ideas in the north, than in the south and vice versa, but the main principles of Lincoln’s ideas tend to show his point of view as aligned with that of the Abolitionists, in quite a particular way.

Taking into account certain confusing ambivalence in Lincoln’s speech, although he proposed equality when he invited Americans to “…unite as one people throughout this land until we shall once more stand up declaring that all men are created equal.” (Douglas, quoting Lincoln), he also encouraged certain division and differentiated whites from blacks when he said “…I am not nor ever have been in favor of bringing about in any way, the social and political equality of the white and black races…” (Douglas, quoting Lincoln), referring to certain ways of life and the position to be held by African Americans in his opinion. A difference in these quotations is evident, but it is taken as a cautious step towards safekeeping his political career, and expressing a certain opinion that supported the abolition of slavery, but not intend to radically change the position of hegemony of the white men. A great conflict can come out of this ideology, but it was a great step forward in the emancipation of the black people.

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Although Abraham Lincoln’s idea of the condition of humans as slaves is left idle for a moment, the fact that he takes it to be an evil that must be stopped is clear when “…we think it is a moral, a social and a political wrong.” (Lincoln) is stated, but the fact that it should be dealt with “…as with any other wrong, in so far as we can prevent its growing any larger, and so deal with it that in the run of time there may be some promise of an end to it.” (Lincoln) also makes clear that ...

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