Lincoln-Douglas Memorial Plaque - Quincy, IL
Posted by: 
adgorn
N 39° 55.955 W 091° 24.518
15S E 635974 N 4421487
Relief portrait. Lincoln stands with his proper right hand resting on a podium. His proper left hand is holding his lapel. Behind him, Douglas sits crosslegged, to his proper right. Mary Todd is in profile to the proper left of Lincoln.
Waymark Code: WMR450
Location: Illinois, United States
Date Posted: 05/10/2016
Views: 2
More from the Smithsonian website: "Twelve other figures sit behind these primary figures.
Dimensions: Sculpture: approx. 8 ft. x 9 ft. 7 in. x 1 ft.; Base: 12 x 10 x 2 1/2 ft.
The monument, the last work of Lorado Taft's, was unveiled Oct. 13, 1936, on the 78th anniversary of the Lincoln Douglas debate in Washington Park. An crowd estimated at 10-12,000 attended the ceremony, including Governor Henry Horner and Lorado Taft. The state appropriated 10,000 dollars for the memorial. Funds were also raised by the Quincy Rotary Club and he Exchange Clubs.
Inscription: Lorado Taft/American Art Bronze Foundry (Base front:) LINCOLN-DOUGLAS DEBATE/QUINCY OCTOBER 13 1858 (Base back:) LINCOLN AT QUINCY/"WE HAVE IN THIS NATION THIS/ELEMENT OF DOMESTIC SLAVERY./WE THINK IT IS A WRONG NOT/CONFINING ITSELF MERELY/TO THE PERSONS OR THE STATES WHERE/IT EXISTS BUT THAT IT IS A/WRONG IN ITS TENDENCY TO SAY/THE LEAST, THAT EXTENDS ITSELF TO/THE EXISTENCE OF THE WHOLE NATION."/DOUGLAS AT QUINCY/"I HOLD THAT THE PEOPLE OF/THE SLAVEHOLDING STATES ARE/CIVILIZED MEN AS WELL AS/OURSELVES, THAT THEY BEAR/CONSCIENCES AS WELL AS WE/AND THAT THEY ARE ACCOUNTABLE/TO GOD AND THEIR POSTERITY AND/NOT TO US. IT IS FOR THEM TO/DECIDE THERE FOR THE MORAL/AND RELIGIOUS RIGHT OF THE/SLAVERY QUESTION FOR THEMSELVES,/WITHIN THEIR OWN LIMITS." signed Founder's mark appears."
The relief is featured in Ron Schramm and Richard Hart's photo book titled "Lincoln in Illinois" and includes a brief quote from Lorado Taft's granddaughter.
The relief sculpture is located in a plaza in Washington Park. Quotes by Lincoln and Douglas are memorialized in black granite benches around the perimeter. There are several informational signs from the Looking for Lincoln series in the park, and elsewhere around town. Quite the number of historical sites plus the riverfront make Quincy a nice place to visit.
TITLE: Lincoln-Douglas Memorial Plaque
ARTIST(S): Taft, Lorado Zadoc, 1860-1936, sculptor. American Bronze Company, founder.
DATE: Dedicated Oct. 13, 1936.
MEDIUM: Bronze on a granite base.
CONTROL NUMBER: IAS IL000210
Direct Link to the Individual Listing in the Smithsonian Art Inventory: [Web Link]
PHYSICAL LOCATION:
East side of Washington Park, Quincy, Illinois 62301
DIFFERENCES NOTED BETWEEN THE INVENTORY LISTING AND YOUR OBSERVATIONS AND RESEARCH:
Looks like it has been fairly recently cleaned so treatment no longer urgent IMHO.
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