Looking For Lincoln - 3rd Debate - Jonesboro, Illinois
Posted by: 
BruceS
N 37° 27.444 W 089° 16.117
16S E 299349 N 4148031
Historical marker commemorating the third Lincoln - Douglas debate at the former fairgrounds in Jonesboro.
Waymark Code: WM6ATF
Location: Illinois, United States
Date Posted: 05/04/2009
Views: 7
Text of marker:
Background of the Debates
Young Abraham Lincoln "Lost His Taste" for politics and was content with his thriving law practice after having served four terms in the Illinois Legislature in the 1830's and a term in Congress i the 1840's. However, several national events stirred his moral conscience and spurred him into action. U.S. Senator Stephen A. Douglas' Kansas-Nebraska Act state that the choice of slavery was up to the citizens of each new state--or "popular sovereignty." The Dred Scott decision in 1857 claimed that slaves are property, and the book Uncle Tom's Cabin caused abolitionists to pressure Congress to outlaw slaver. Lincoln didn't promote abolishing existing slavery, but he followed the Missouri Compromise of 1820, which allowed for equal number of slave and free states in new territories. He challenged incumbent Douglas to debate him and allow Douglas to select the sites of Ottawa, Freeport, Jonesboro, Charleston, Galesburg, Quincy and Alton. At the Jonesboro depate Douglas state, "...the negro is not and never out to be a citizen of the United States."
Jonesboro was a sleepy town, and the city of Anna was only four years old in 1858. Douglas chose Union County for the site of ths debate because of strong Southern sympathies here, hoping Lincoln would express abolitionist views. Douglas had said he wanted to "trot Lincoln down to Egypt," a common name for Southern Illinois. Douglas believed this strongly Democratic country, under the leadership of John S. Hacker, would support him. The party was split, however, with one group of Democrats calling themselves "Danites." They were led by John Daugherty (later to be Lt. Gov. of Illinois). David L. Phillips, a friend of Lincoln who was campaigning against John A. Logan for a seat in Congress, encouraged Lincoln to come to Jonesboro and stay at his home in Anna, which is still standing today."
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