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Prologue

The Lincoln Douglas debates in the fall of 1858 were termed by an East news reporter as a “Prairie Fire “ spreading across the country. While Lin-coln lost the 1858 Senatorial Election to Douglas by a vote of the Illinois legislature, the roots were planted from these debates for the 1860 presi-dential election between these two same flatlanders. In all debate classes, presidential debates, and every substantial debate of merit, the Lincoln - Douglas debates are referenced as the “ gold standard “ of debating - both for the very importance of the debates at that time to the United States, and the oratorical skills possessed by both legislators.

This era was a most exciting time politically in the United States, as the de-bate over slavery, territorial law, Missouri compromise nullification by the 1854 Nebraska act, and Chief Justice Toney’s most famous Dred Scott deci-sion in 1856 placed the United States in turmoil as a nation. Follow along the historically based two person script dialogue between Mary and Abra-ham Lincoln with background music and depictions of the seven debates from Ottawa to Alton. The debates were held in fairgrounds, open fields, and the downtowns of seven agreed upon Illinois communities - with Lin-coln and Douglas usually entering with large entourages of sophisticated supporters carried by white horses and carriages that would befit European kings. As many as 20,000 people attended some of the debates.

Interestingly, in an effort to capture every word spoken by the debaters the Illinois newspaper reporters developed an abbreviated cursive script that came to be known as “shorthand” which remains in use, though waning, to this day. The political climate of the United States truly has never seen a “ Prairie Fire “ of the magnitude of the Lincoln - Douglas debates before or since the Illinois senatorial election of 1858.

CHAPTER I - BUGGY RIDE FROM SPRINGFIELD TO OTTAWA - SEPTEMBER 21, 1858

ABRAHAMI CANNOT FINALLY BELIEVE THIS IS HAPPENING - PUBLIC PRESSURE FINALLY FORCED STEPHEN DOUGLAS, THE JUDGE, TO ACCEPT DEBATING ME.

MARYI CANNOT BELIEVE IT EITHER- ALL THE TROUBLE WE’VE HAD ARRANGING THIS WITH DOUGLAS. AND I DON’T LIKE YOU CALLING HIM JUDGE. WHERE DID THAT COME FROM ?

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ABRAHAMWELL DOUGLAS WAS TRULY AN ILLINOIS JUDGE FROM 1840 TO 1850 FOR THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE 10TH DISTRICT. HE IS A REAL JUDGE.

MARYBUT HE IS FOR OUR PURPOSES AN ILLINOIS INCUMBENT DEMOCRATIC SENATOR. HE IS THE COMPETITION - NOT A FRIENDLY JUDGE.

ABRAHAMOK - I’M JUST HAPPY DOUGLAS HAS ACCEPTED THE TERMS FOR SEVEN DEBATES. I WON’T HAVE TO STUMP HIM AFTER HE’S SPOKEN IN CITY AFTER CITY ANY LONGER.

MARYBUT YOU ASKED FOR MANY MORE DEBATES - IN FACT YOU SAID YOU WOULD DEBATE UNTIL THE FINAL VOTE WAS CAST IN EVERY DISTRICT IN EVERY ILLINOIS TOWN.

ABRAHAMTHAT IS TRULY THE ONLY WAY I CAN DEFEAT THE JUDGE - BY DEBATE ON THE ISSUES.

MARYTHERE YOU GO AGAIN ABRAHAM CALLING STEVEN DOUG-LAS, “ THE JUDGE “ - OH I GUESS I’LL GET ACCUSTOMED TO IT SOMEHOW.

ABRAHAMEVERYONE CALLS HIM THE JUDGE - HE DOESN’T MIND - LIKES IT BETTER THAN SENATOR DOUGLAS OR THE LITTLE MIDGET AS THEY CALL HIM IN DC.

MARYWELL TOMORROW NIGHT WE’LL BE IN OTTAWA - A BIT OF AN UNUSUAL PLACE TO BEGIN THE DEBATES.

ABRAHAMI FEEL IT’S TO OUR ADVANTAGE - IT IS NORTH - AND WE CAN MAKE HAY WHILE WE ARE HERE.

MARYI SURE HOPE SO - I FEEL THAT MANY OF THE NEWSPAPERS HAVE ALREADY GIVEN THE JUDGE - OH I MEAN DOUGLAS - THE 1858 SENATORIAL ELECTION.

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ABRAHAMYES THEY THINK THAT AN OLD WHIG LIKE ME NOW TURNED REPUBLICAN CANNOT WHIP THE SHARP DOUGLAS IN DE-BATES, ELECTIONS, OR ANYTHING ELSE FOR THAT MATTER. SOME SAY THE ELECTION IS JUST A FORMALITY BY THE LEG-ISLATORS. DEMOCRATIC LEGISLATORS ARE EXPECTED TO DOMINATE IN SPRINGFIELD.

MARYWELL I WISH THE VOTE WAS POPULAR - NOT BY THE THOSE STATE LEGISLATORS.

ABRAHAMTHAT WILL EVENTUALLY CHANGE - PROBABLY IN OUR LIFE-TIME - WITH EVERYONE’S VOTE COUNTING FOR SENATOR.

MARYWELL THE LEGISLATORS ARE WAY IN FAVOR OF STEPHEN DOUGLAS ADMITTEDLY BY THEM AND THE NEWS REPORT-ERS.

ABRAHAMYES - IT WILL DEFINITELY BE AN UPHILL BATTLE ALL THE WAY. BUT WHO KNOWS - PEOPLE WILL GET TO KNOW ME AND WHAT I STAND FOR, THE ISSUE OF SLAVERY WILL COME TO THE FOREFRONT, AND THOUGH I MAY NOT WIN THE ELEC-TION, THERE WILL BE MANY ISSUES DECIDED BY THE DE-BATES.

MARYWILL YOU ELECT TO FULLY INFORM THE VOTERS OF YOUR OPINIONS ON SLAVERY ?

ABRAHAMWELL I STRONGLY FEEL THAT THE UNITED STATES IS READY FOR ABOLITION OF THIS INSTITUTION. THERE IS A 50/50 SPLIT AMONGST THE STATES AND CONGRESS REGARDING SLAVERY.

MARYSLAVERY WILL BE THE DEFINING MOMENT AND DIVISIVE SUBJECT OF THE COUNTRY AND THE LINCOLN DOUGLAS DEBATES.

ABRAHAMNO DOUBT - WE WILL BE EXPOSED FULLY FOR OUR VIEWS. UNFORTUNATELY, THOUGH ILLINOIS IS A FREE STATE THE PAST TEN YEARS AND IS IN LINE WITH THE MISSOURI COM-

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PROMISE OF 1820 - THERE ARE STILL SLAVES AND SOUTHERN SENTIMENT - ESPECIALLY IN SOUTHERN ILLINOIS OR SHALL I SAY EGYPT.

MARYHERE YOU GO AGAIN - TALKING ABOUT EGYPT AND HOW THOSE FOLKS DOWN THERE IN SOUTHERN ILLINOIS VOTE DIFFERENTLY AND DETERMINE ELECTIONS.

ABRAHAMAS IT STANDS, I DON’T STAND A CHANCE IN ANY SOUTHERN ILLINOIS COUNTY. MY FIRST TRIP TO THE US HOUSE OF REP-RESENTATIVES BACK IN 1847....WELL BECAUSE I WAS THE LONE WHIG FROM ILLINOIS, I REALLY STOOD OUT ON ALL ISSUES. SHOULD NEVER HAVE MADE THAT SIDE DEAL TO ONLY SERVE ONE TERM.

MARYBUT YOU GARNERED ENOUGH SUPPORT THAT SOME OF THE FLATLANDERS FROM OTHER PARTIES VOTED FOR A WHIG....BECAUSE YOU WERE DIFFERENT, STOOD TALL ON YOUR VIEWS, AND..........

ABRAHAMMAYBE THE DEMOCRATIC COMPETITION WASN’T SO GREAT.

MARYNO - THEY VOTED FOR YOU ABRAHAM BECAUSE OF YOUR VIEWS. THOUGH UNPOPULAR, THEY LIKED YOUR STRONG STAND ON ISSUES.

ABRAHAMWELL - WE’LL SEE IF I CAN CONVINCE SOME FOLKS - EVEN THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE - THAT MY VIEWS ARE MORE MODERN, WILL WORK FOR ILLINOIS AND THE UNITED STATES. SADLY I’M READY TO DISCUSS STRONG SUPPORT FOR INFRASTRUC-TURE DEVELOPMENT ALL THROUGH THE COUNTRY, LINKING RAILROADS AND OTHER COMMERCIAL ENTERPRISES TO SPUR EXPANSION AND THE ECONOMIC HEALTH OF OUR YOUNG COUNTRY. BUT I SEE THE JUDGE MAKING THIS A FORUM ON SLAVERY AND TERRITORIES BECAUSE HE HAS BEEN THE HEAD OF THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON UNITED STATES TERRITORIES.

MARYWELL PREVIOUS WHIG VIEWS HAVE COME UNDER MUCH SCRUTINY - BIG BANKS, TARIFFS, AND FITTING THE SLAVERY QUESTION INTO WHAT APPEALS TO THE CROWD AT THE TIME. THE WHIGS HAVE BEEN FOREVER SPLIT OVER SLAVERY.

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ABRAHAMBUT MARY - YOU KEEP FORGETTING I’M NOW A REPUBLICAN - NOMINATED IN SPRINGFIELD BY THE REPUBLICAN CAUCUS. I’M NO LONGER A WHIG. IN FACT THE WHIG PARTY IS ESSEN-TIALLY DOOMED.

MARYWELL NOW THAT YOU’RE A REPUBLICAN MANY OF YOUR WHIG VALUES WILL REMAIN WITH YOU FOREVER.

ABRAHAMNO DOUBT. I GUESS I’LL ALWAYS IN MANY WAYS BE A WHIG. THE WHIGS’ BIGGEST FAILURE WAS NOT HAVING HENRY CLAY FROM KENTUCKY BE OUR PRESIDENT - MAYBE THE VERY BEST STATESMAN OF OUR TIME. I’M STILL TAKING GRIEF FOR SUPPORTING TAYLOR INSTEAD OF CLAY IN ‘48 FOR PRESIDENT; AND THE FALLOUT POLITICALLY WILL BE SEVERE IF I EVER GET INTO NATIONAL POLITICS.

MARYIT WAS GOOD JUST TO GET TO KNOW HIM, AND WORK WITH HIM IN WASHINGTON. YOU DID WHAT WAS RIGHT AT THE TIME AND TAYLOR WAS ELECTED - WHO KNOWS - CLAY MAY HAVE BEEN DEFEATED.

ABRAHAMI AGREE - CLAY WAS REALLY THE VERY BEST; AND NATHANIEL WEBSTER WAS RIGHT BEHIND HIM - WOULD HAVE BEEN A GREAT PRESIDENT.

MARYWELL - THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IS NEW FOR ME ALSO - MY PARENTS ROOTS GO BACK TO KENTUCKY WHIGS, AND THIS WILL BE A DIFFICULT BREAK FOR ALL OF US.

ABRAHAMACTUALLY I’M EXCITED TO BE REPRESENTING THE REPUB-LICAN PARTY - ESPECIALLY AGAINST DOUGLAS - THE LITTLE GIANT AS THE PRESS HAS TERMED HIM.

MARYYOU AND DOUGLAS HAVE BEEN COMPETING AGAINST ONE ANOTHER FOR YEARS INDIRECTLY.

ABRAHAMAND NOW IT IS LITERALLY FACE TO FACE, ONE ON ONE. MAY THE BEST MAN WIN THE DEBATES AND THE ELECTION.

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MARYWELL THE TRIBUNE SAYS THAT EVEN IF LINCOLN WINS THE DEBATES, HE WILL NOT WIN THE ELECTION. THE STATE LEGIS-LATURE WHO VOTES HAS ALREADY BEEN POLLED, AND DOUG-LAS HAS BEEN DECLARED THE WINNER.

ABRAHAMTHE 1858 SENATE ELECTION IS NOT OVER UNTIL THE VOTES ARE IN - WHICH MAY SWAY SOME LEGISLATORS IN SPRING-FIELD. IT IS THAT SIMPLE. IF FOLKS MAKE A DECISION BEFORE HEARING THE JUDGE AND MYSELF SPEAK - WELL THAT MAKES THE DEBATES MEANINGLESS. I HAVE MORE FAITH IN ILLINOIS VOTERS THAN THE CHICAGO TIMES.

MARYI AGREE - WE WILL FIGHT ALL THE WAY TO THE POLLING BOOTHS. THE DEBATES WILL END IN ALTON BUT WE WILL NOT BE DENIED OUR RIGHTS TO INFLUENCE VOTERS ON THE MOST MEANINGFUL ISSUES THE UNITED STATES HAS EVER ENCOUNTERED.

ABRAHAMI’VE NEVER SEEN YOU SO ENGROSSED IN THE DEBATES - NOW YOU ARE BEGINNING TO SOUND LIKE A FIGHTING SENATOR’S WIFE.

MARYWELL I HAVE A LOT AT STAKE ALSO - MY FATHER IS CONSIDER-ING RUNNING FOR CONGRESS IN KENTUCKY. I HAVE TO LIVE IN SPRINGFIELD AND OUR SOCIAL STATUS WILL BE AFFECTED BY THE OUTCOME OF THIS ELECTION.

ABRAHAMWELL INNUMERABLE TIMES IN MY LAW AND POLITICAL CA-REER I’VE BEEN SHUNNED BY CLIENTS, VOTERS, AND PEERS. THANK GOD WE’VE FORMED THE NEW REPUBLICAN PARTY.

MARYTHE NEW REPUBLICAN PARTY IS JUST A FRONT FOR ABOLI-TIONISTS ACCORDING TO MANY. THAT MAY NOT WORK IN IL-LINOIS - AS THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE STATE - WHICH YOU CALL EGYPT - IS SO PROSLAVERY.

ABRAHAMBUT THEN AGAIN ILLINOIS CAME INTO THE UNION AS A FREE STATE TEN YEARS AGO - WE ARE ABOVE THE MISSOURI COM-PROMISE LINE - EVEN THOUGH TECHNICALLY THAT HAS BEEN REPEALED BY THE 1850 COMPROMISE, THE KANSAS NEBRASKA ACT OF 1854, AND DRED SCOTT’S RULING.

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MARYWELL ANYWAY I SEE THIS WHOLE DEBATE OVER SLAVERY - THE NATIONAL ISSUE.

ABRAHAMBUT IF WE WIN, OUR POLICIES WHICH WE STRONGLY BE-LIEVE IN WILL COME INTO EFFECT THROUGH NATIONAL LEGISLATION. MY ELECTION AS THE REPUBLICAN AND NOT WHIG REPRESENTATIVE FOR U.S. SENATOR SENDS A STRONG MESSAGE TO WASHINGTON AND THE SOUTH.

MARYBUT STEPHEN DOUGLAS - THOUGH A LITTLE MIDGET - IS A VERY STRONG PERSONALITY WITH MUCH SUPPORT THROUGHOUT THE STATE AND NATIONALLY. YOU COULD NOT HAVE PICKED A TOUGHER OPPONENT.

ABRAHAMYES I KNOW THE JUDGE IS A GREAT DEBATER - THE VERY BEST - BUT HIS PRINCIPLES ARE NOT AS GOOD AS THE REPUB-LICAN MESSAGE. THE TIME IS RIPE FOR NEW IDEAS TO COME TO WASHINGTON DC. WE WILL BE VINDICATED.

MARYBUT AGAIN ABRAHAM - THE NEWSPAPERS SAY WHY DEBATE ? THE RACE IS ALREADY DECIDED.

ABRAHAMI STRONGLY DISAGREE AND THAT IS WHY THERE IS A VOTE IN THE ILLINOIS STATE LEGISLATURE TO DECIDE WHO WILL BE THE NEXT SENATOR. THE PEOPLE WILL VOTE ON STATE LEGISLATORS WHO IN TURN WILL VOTE FOR UNITED STATES SENATOR. YOU NEVER KNOW BECAUSE MOST OF THE OLD WHIG PARTY WILL VOTE FOR LINCOLN, INDEPENDENTS AND KNOW NOTHINGS WILL ALSO VOTE FOR ME AS I’VE BEEN TOLD.

MARYBUT DOUGLAS’S DEMOCRATS STILL OUTNUMBER ALL THE OTHER CANDIDATES.

ABRAHAMBUT NORTHERN ILLINOIS DEMOCRATS MAY INDEED VOTE FOR ME AND OUR REPUBLICAN PARTY.

MARYI CERTAINLY HOPE SO, AS WE NEED AS MANY VOTES AS WE CAN SURELY MUSTER.

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ABRAHAMILLINOIS VOTERS WILL GET A FIRST RATE VIEW OF BOTH THE JUDGE AND ME IN THE DEBATES.

MARYSO WHERE WILL THESE DEBATES OCCUR IN THE SEVEN CITIES ?

ABRAHAMIN FAIRGROUNDS, TOWN SQUARES, PARKS, AND DOWNTOWN LOCATIONS. ANYWHERE THE MOST PEOPLE CAN SEE. THERE WILL BE FOLKS ON TOP OF TREES, IN FRONT AND BEHIND US. WE PREDICT THAT AS MANY AS 20,000 COULD SHOW FOR A SINGLE DEBATE. WE JUST DON’T KNOW. THE MORE THE BET-TER.

MARYI FULLY AGREE. DO YOU HAVE YOUR POSITIONS DOWN FIRMLY ON EVERY QUESTION THE JUDGE WILL ASK YOU ?

ABRAHAMWELL WE’VE ANTICIPATED EVERYTHING FROM THE MEXICAN WAR TO THE HOUSE DIVIDED SPEECH IN THE ILLINOIS LEGIS-LATURE.

MARYWELL THAT SPEECH HAS BEEN INTERPRETED BY MANY AS YOUR FAILURE.

ABRAHAMI DON’T SEE IT THAT WAY. NOT AT ALL. IN FACT I SEE IT AS THE TRUTH OF OUR COUNTRY. A HOUSE DIVIDED CANNOT STAND IN MY CONTEXT MEANS THAT THE UNITED STATES WILL BE-COME EITHER ALL BONDAGE OR NOT. WE CAN NO LONGER EXIST WITH VARYING STATE SLAVERY LAWS AND VARIABLE INTERPRETATIONS OF THE FEDERAL LAW.

MARYSO YOU STILL FEEL SLAVERY WILL EITHER FLOURISH OR DIE. THERE WILL NOT BE ROOM FOR BOTH ?

ABRAHAMWELL YES I ACKNOWLEDGE IT WAS SUCH A DIFFICULT PROB-LEM WHEN OUR COUNTRY WAS FORMED - BUT THERE WAS SO MUCH INVOLVING JUST PLAIN SURVIVAL THAT THE FOUND-ING FATHERS COULD NOT HAVE ERADICATED THE INSTITU-TION OF SLAVERY AT THE BIRTH OF OUR NATION - IT WOULD HAVE TORN US APART.

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MARYAND DOUGLAS SAYS THERE IS NO NEED TO CHANGE ANY-THING - THE UNITED STATES HAS HAD FREE AND SLAVE STATES FOR 75 YEARS, THE COUNTRY WAS FOUNDED ON THESE PRINCIPLES, AND WE’VE THRIVED DESPITE SLAVERY.

ABRAHAMYES I REALIZE THE JUDGE’S VIEW - BUT IT IS AN INSTITU-TION THAT WE CAN LIVE WITHOUT. MANKIND HAS BECOME MUCH MORE SENSITIVE TO THE PLIGHT OF THE NEGRO.

MARYBUT THE SOUTH - INCLUDING WHERE YOU AND I BOTH HAD OUR KENTUCKY ROOTS HAS SLAVERY DEEPLY INGRAINED. IT IS A PART OF SOCIETY, THE ECONOMIC LIFE OF THE SOUTH, AND REMOVING IT WOULD RAVAGE THE ENTIRE UNITED STATES.

ABRAHAMI AGREE THAT A DISRUPTION OF ECONOMIES WOULD OC-CUR, BUT FOR THE ABSOLUTE BETTERMENT OF SOCIETY. A PERIOD OF RECONSTRUCTION WOULD BE NECESSARY.

MARYAND SENDING AFRICAN AMERICANS BACK TO LIBERIA OR SOME OTHER AFRICAN COUNTRY.

ABRAHAMYES BOTH CLAY AND WEBSTER ARE PROPONENTS OF THIS RECOLONIZATION PLAN - I AM ALSO AN ADVOCATE OF THIS PLAN.

MARYBUT HOW PRACTICAL WOULD THIS BE WITH ALREADY FREE BLACKS, THE COSTS OF SHIPPING ENTIRE FAMILIES BACK TO AFRICA, AND WHAT OF THE NEGROES THAT STAYED ?

ABRAHAMWELL........

MARYTHAT IS WHAT I MEAN. ARE YOU REALLY READY FOR THESE DEBATES ? STEPHEN DOUGLAS IS A SNEAKY INTELLIGENT MAN WHO MAY EMBARRASS YOU.

ABRAHAMI DON’T HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS YET. NO ONE DOES.

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MARYWELL THE AMERICAN PUBLIC WILL EXPECT YOU TO HAVE EX-ACT SOLUTIONS TO TOUGH PROBLEMS FOR THEM TO HAVE THE CONFIDENCE IN YOU TO OBTAIN THEIR VOTE.

ABRAHAMWELL I HAVE NOT GIVEN MUCH THOUGHT TO MANUMIT-TED AFRICANS. TANEY’S DRED SCOOT DECISION A COUPLE YEARS AGO SENT OUR NATION INTO TURMOIL.

MARYYES DOUGLAS WILL ATTEMPT TO ANNIHILATE YOU ON THIS ISSUE - CLAIMING THAT YOU ARE GOING AGAINST THE UNIT-ED STATES SUPREME COURT WHICH HAS ALREADY DECIDED THAT SLAVES ARE PROPERTY, NOT CITIZENS, AND THAT YOU AND THE REPUBLICANS ARE ANTI AMERICAN - DEFYING THE LAW DECLARING THAT SLAVES ARE INDEED PROPERTY AND NOT CITIZENS.

ABRAHAMAND DOUGLAS HAS BEEN KNOWN TO HAVE SAID THIS TANEY DECISION CAN ONLY BE APPEALED IN HEAVEN.

MARYAND EIGHT OF THE NINE JUSTICES WROTE SOLID SOME-WHAT DISSENTING OPINIONS ON THE CASE.

ABRAHAMMANY FEEL THERE WAS A CONSPIRACY BETWEEN TANEY, DOUGLAS, AND PRESIDENT PIERCE - AND I’VE BEEN ACCUSED OF CONCLUDING THERE WAS A CONSPIRACY WITHIN THE LEGISLATIVE, JUDICIAL, AND EXECUTIVE BRANCHES OF GOV-ERNMENT FROM THE 1850 COMPROMISE, WILMOT PROVISO WHICH DIDN’T PASS, KANSAS NEBRASKA ACT, AND THE DRED SCOTT DECISION.

MARYSO AGAIN THE JUDGE HAS YOU OVER A BARREL ON THESE ISSUES. YOU NEED TO REALLY THINK YOUR ANSWERS THROUGH CLEARLY - NO MATTER WHAT PART OF THE STATE WE ARE IN.

ABRAHAMYES I KNOW - THESE REPORTERS FROM CHICAGO ARE USING WHAT THEY CALL SHORTHAND TO REPORT THE DEBATES BACK TO THE NEWSPAPERS - WORD FOR WORD.

MARYWELL THAT IS INTERESTING - THE FACT THESE REPORTERS CAN KEEP UP WITH BOTH OF YOU IS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING.

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ABRAHAMI WILL GIVE SOME OF THESE ISSUES FURTHER THOUGHT.

MARYWELL WE HAD BETTER PLAN AHEAD CONSIDERABLY SO AS TO NOT BE EMBARRASSED. AS YOU ARE AWARE SLAVERY WILL BE THE MAIN DEBATING ISSUE - AND SENTIMENT, THE LAW, DOUGLAS’S POPULARITY, AND EGYPT AND DOUGLAS’S FRIENDS AND CONNECTIONS IN CHICAGO ARE ALL AGAINST YOU.

ABRAHAMWELL I HAVE BEAT DOUGLAS ALREADY IN A BIG MATCH.

MARYWHAT IS THAT MAY I ASK ?

ABRAHAMYOUR HAND.

MARYTHANK GOD. I FINALLY SEE THE GLIMMERING LIGHTS OF OT-TAWA.

End-Chapter I - PRAIRIE FIRE