– 45 – A u g u s t 2 0 2 2 “A House Divided Against Itself Cannot Stand” 54. (LINCOLN-DOUGLAS DEBATES) LINCOLN, Abraham. Political Debates Between Hon. Abraham Lincoln and Hon. Stephen A. Douglas, In the Celebrated Campaign of 1858, in Illinois. Columbus, 1860. Octavo, original blind-stamped brown cloth, custom chemise and clamshell box. $8500. First edition, first issue, of the most famous debates in American history, the event that transformed Lincoln into a national presidential candidate, in original cloth. Running as a little-known candidate for the Illinois senatorship in 1858, Lincoln challenged incumbent and Democratic leader Stephen Douglas to a series of debates. The result was a memorable chain of lively arguments in front of cheering crowds. Though Lincoln lost the senatorial race, “he began collecting a scrapbook of his best speeches, particularly those from the just-concluded campaign against Douglas, for possible inclusion in a book. Assiduously pasting newspaper accounts of the debates into the scrapbook, Lincoln cast about for a publisher. Initial efforts failed, mainly because Lincoln wanted the book printed in Springfield, which had no local publishing or printing facilities. Eventually, however, the Columbus, Ohio, firm of Follett, Foster & Company showed interest, and he began preparing the first edition… Somewhat surprisingly for an attorney, Lincoln did not seek Douglas’ permission to publish a book of their combined speeches, although Douglas was later given the last-minute opportunity—he declined—to make corrections to his own remarks” (Morris, 121). First issue, with no advertisements, no rule above the publisher’s imprint on the copyright page, and with numeral 2 at the bottom of page 17. Bookplate. Ex-library, with a few tiny deaccession inkstamps to pastedowns. Text generally fresh with scattered foxing, less than usual, expert restoration to original cloth. A very good copy.
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