Published: January 03, 2009 10:32 pm         

Display at Marshall Library looks back at Lincoln-Douglas debates of 1858

MARSHALL, Ill. — With the upcoming inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama, another president has been tossed back into the spotlight: Abraham Lincoln.

This year marks the 200th anniversary of the 16th president’s birth, and last year marked the 150th anniversary of his famous debates with Sen. Stephen Douglas, which launched his political platform and eventually led to his presidency.

An exhibit marking the historic significance of those seven debates will be displayed at the Marshall Public Library through Jan. 24.

“We just really want to concentrate on informing the public, especially the people in the area, about Lincoln’s life because of the bicentennial,” said library director Nancy Claypool. “And this is a good start.”

Claypool said a Lincoln bicentennial committee in Marshall also has various plans in the works for the yearlong celebration.

“In all these things that we do throughout the year, we’ll do something that catches somebody’s eye,” she said.

Sponsored by the Looking for Lincoln Heritage Coalition, the exhibit contains information about the debates, the political climate at the time and the 1858 election results. It’s free for people to visit.

Though the debates jumpstarted Lincoln’s political career, which ultimately resulted in his presidency, Douglas was re-elected to the Senate seat.

Chuck Hand, 65, of Paris, Ill. has been dealing with Lincoln books, collectibles and paraphernalia for 20 years. He taught both middle and high school American history and geography in Paris before he retired and took on everything Lincoln.

Debates of today are different in nearly every way compared to a debate Lincoln and Douglas participated in, he said, because today’s debates are “made to play for television.”

“People today would not have cared to see Lincoln and Douglas debate for hours,” Hand said.

Lincoln kept all the articles published from the debates, which was turned into a book, “The Lincoln-Douglas Debates.” Hand said it turned out to be a big seller and was put out in 13 different editions.

“It’s totally different today, and I don’t think that people today have the stomach for debates like Lincoln’s and Douglas’ and other political candidates went through,” he said.

Hand said it’s interesting today because despite Lincoln being a Republican, both parties have tried to “claim him.” Though Hand said if Lincoln were alive he thinks he would lean toward the Democrats.

Since he announced his run for the presidency, Obama has associated himself closely with Lincoln from choosing his cabinet similarly to using Lincoln’s Bible for his swearing in Jan. 20.

“In Lincoln’s cabinet, almost all of those people who called him the original gorilla, made fun of him, here’s that hick from Illinois, back woodsman, had ended up having nothing but the greatest respect for this gentleman,” Hand said, “and I certainly hope that would work out this time too.”

To tell if things will work out for Obama and his presidency, Hand said the same thing that was once said about Lincoln: “He’s our last best hope on Earth.”

While Hand couldn’t say for sure what Lincoln would say of today and its political climate, he speculated Lincoln would be saddened and satisfied at the same time.

“He would be saddened by Blagojevich,” Hand said. “… He would be satisfied that 200 years after his birth we’re going to have a black man inaugurated as president.”

Crystal Garcia can be reached at (812) 231-4271 or crystal.garcia@tribstar.com.