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

The third debate was held in Jonesboro, in the southern tip of the state, the region known as “Egypt.” It was Democratic country but also the area of [President James] Buchanan’s greatest strength. This region had the most homogeneous population, and the greatest aversion to Negroes, of the state. There were few Republican votes to be had; [John C.] Freemont had received but 3.8 percent of the country’s total vote in 1856. The debate had the smallest audience of the series, and the preparations were the crudest…Though few votes were changed in Jonesboro, both candidates gained from the debate: Lincoln demonstrated his underlying consistency and probed the logic of popular sovereignty; Douglas was able to compete successfully with Buchanan for the allegiance of the Negrophobes of southern Illinois. Moreover, the debates began to move past repetition of the same arguments and toward more thorough probing of their foundations.