Lincoln-Douglas Debates, Ottawa Debate (Zarefsky, 1990)

The first debate was on August 21, at Ottawa. The town was solidly Republican; its congressman was Owen Lovejoy, an abolitionist seeking reelection, and Douglas’s biographer has estimated that Republicans made up two-thirds of the audience. Addressing a hostile audience, Douglas sought common ground, and he did so by isolating Lincoln from the political mainstream. He south to implicate is challenger in the development of an extremist document alleged to be the state Republican platform of 1854. The week before the debate, Douglas had written his friend Charles H. Lanphier to secure information about this platform, and he introduced the matter early in his opening speech, charging Lincoln with conspiracy. Lincoln’s strategy for the debate was not so well formed, and to some extent he appeared to be unduly nervous or defensive. He even concluded his speech with fifteen minutes’ time remaining. The debates began with momentum favoring Douglas. Democratic papers seized on this situation and exaggerated Lincoln’s discomfort.