Free Republic

Third Debate with Stephen A. Douglas at Jonesboro, Illinois September 15, 1858 MR. DOUGLAS' SPEECH. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN: I appear before you today in pursuance of a previous notice, and have made arrangements with Mr. Lincoln to divide time, and discuss with him the leading political topics that now agitate the country. Prior to 1854 this country was divided into two great political parties known as Whig and Democratic. These parties differed from each other on certain questions which were then deemed to be important to the best interests of the Republic. Whig and Democrats differed about a bank, the...

Let the debates begin.Former Presidential hopeful Dr. Alan Keyes has told Illinois Republicans that he would accept their request to take on Democrat Barack Obama in the US Senate race.Members of the Republican State Central Committee insisted that the former radio and television commentator make the promise to run before they would give him the nod Wednesday night, sources told the Chicago Sun Times on Thursday. The Republicans were leery of voting to give Keyes the nomination without some guarantees. So he went back into the room and bascially said, 'If you offer, than I will accept.'Another GOP source said...