An election campaign that turned into a debate between Democratic Senator Stephen Douglas and Republican Abraham Lincoln took place in Illinois during 1858. The Lincoln- Douglas debates questioned the impression individuals held on slavery and their views on freedom. To Lincoln, freedom meant opposition towards slavery and believed that Negros should have the same rights as a white man because they are like everyone else a “living man”. While Douglas believed that the essence of freedom lay in a local self-government. Moreover, Douglass believed that Negro slaves should not be free and, therefore, shouldn’t have the same rights as a white man because whites are superior. Therefore, Lincoln argues that slaves and Negroes should have the right…show more content… Lincoln states that “there is no reason in the world, why the Negro is not entitled to all the natural rights enumerated in the Declaration of Independence, the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” (277). Lincoln argues that Negros have the right to be entitled to their natural rights because there is nothing in the constitution that prohibits them from obtaining equality and the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Lincoln, however, addresses his supporters with a response to Douglas argument on how Negroes and whites are not the same color “[b]ut in the right to eat the bread, without leave of anybody else, which his own hand earns, he is my equal and the equal of Judge Douglas, and the equal of every living man” (277). Lincoln reveals that a Negro has the right to eat the bread he earns without the help of anyone and therefore, is just as equal as everyone else because he just like everyone works for his food. As a result, Lincoln argues that Negroes should be treated with equality because they work for their rights.
Overall, Lincoln and Douglas have two completely different views on freedom. However, Lincoln and Douglas both realize that there are consequences to each other’s point of view. Douglas argues that allowing slaves to become equal citizens that it would put each other at the same level and possibly challenge their power. While Lincoln believed that Negroes should be equal because they will never actually fully gain equality. Moreover, Lincoln believed Negroes should have the same opportunities as whites while Douglas believes that they
