What Is Lincoln's Arguments Against The Declaration Of Independence

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As the battle for the northern nomination in Illinois gains momentum, Senator Douglas slanders Republican nominee Abraham Lincoln over his stance on three key issues: the hot debate of slavery, Lincoln’s “crusade against the Supreme Court” alleged by Douglas himself, and the manner in which the Preamble of the Declaration of Independence is interpreted by each candidate. (Douglas) In Senator Douglas’s opening speech, Lincoln is accused of creating an ultimatum for the nation on the issue of slavery; either all states adopt the slavery institution or have it abolished in all states once and for all. On the other hand, he [Douglas] reaffirms his belief that each state should either adopt or abolish slavery only with the benefit of its …show more content…

On the contrary, Lincoln truly believed that the Continental Congress “intended to include all men, but they did not intend to declare all men equal in all respects.” Although this statement seems contradictory, he goes on to explain that “they meant simply to declare the right, so that the enforcement of it might follow as fast as circumstances should permit.” He intends to demonstrate the idea of the Preamble as a theory that will only become law when the time is right according to society. In essence, Douglas held many accusations against Lincoln over three main concerns: the controversy over slavery, Lincoln’s remarks against the Supreme Court, and both men’s interpretation of the Preamble of the Constitution. Although Douglas tried to incriminate Lincoln by exploiting extracts from his Springfield speech, Lincoln rebutted by explaining the intent of his