How History Unfolds on Paper: Important Americana from the Eric C. Caren Collection, Part X

Washington (D.C.): Lemuel Towers, 1858. First edition. 8vo. 32 pp. Printed from text in the Chicago Daily Times, October 17, 1858. Limp printed wrappers, foxed; edges unevenly trimmed, small closed tears to extremities; scattered manuscript numbering, foxing throughout. Monaghan 10

Very rare pamphlet containing the text of the final debate between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas, the only separate printing of any of their historic debates.

After winning the 1858 Republican nomination for the Senate from Illinois, Abraham Lincoln delivered his famous "House Divided" speech and prepared for a hard-fought campaign against Douglas, who continued to oppose any meddling whatsoever with the institution of slavery. Lincoln and his campaign team began following Douglas across the state, delivering campaign speeches immediately after him, until he finally agreed to a series of seven debates with Lincoln between August 21-October 15, 1858, and now remembered as the Lincoln-Douglas Debates.

The present example is only the fourth copy to appear in the available auction record in the last 50 years.

Lot also includes a small tintype portrait of Douglas, and an issue of the Campaign Plain Dealer and Popular Sovereignty Advocate (July 14, 1860);