Lincoln-Douglas Debate, Alton

The seventh and final debate between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas in the 1858 U.S. senatorial campaign took place here on October 15, when approximately five thousand people gathered in front of the old City Hall to hear the two candidates. The debates drew national attention as Lincoln argued against extending slavery into the western territories and Douglas campaigned for states' rights. The following November, Douglas won the Senate seat, but two years later Lincoln defeated Douglas in the race for the presidency.

Alton, Illinois · United States