The two participants in the great debate over slavery prior to the election of 1858 were Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas.
Explanation:
The Lincoln-Douglas Debates were a political event in US history that took place between August and October 1858.
In 1858, elections to the Senate were held, in which representatives were elected by state legislatures and not by universal suffrage. In Illinois, Abraham Lincoln was running on behalf of the Republican Party, whose opponent on behalf of the Democratic Party was Stephen A. Douglas. Lincoln challenged Douglas to hold pre-election debates in order to gain wider recognition. His competitor accepted the offer, however he limited the number of matches to seven. They took place between August and October 1858 and aroused national interest.
The main topic of debate was slavery, especially in the context of the Supreme Court judgment in the Dred Scott case. Douglas, as a strong supporter of the principle of popular sovereignty, claimed that he did not care about resolving the issue of slavery as long as it reflected the real will of society. Because of this attitude, he conflicted with the Democratic Party and was portrayed as being insensitive to the moral aspect of slavery. Lincoln, in turn, argued that slavery was a moral evil, while admitting that the Constitution defended this institution. As he opposed its expansion, he was portrayed as an abolitionist. However, the future president denied such statements, ensuring that he never advocated racial equality. His plan was to extinguish slavery by prohibiting its extension. Ultimately, Douglas won the election, winning 54:46 in state legislature. However, Lincoln also benefited from the debates as they secured him the presidential nomination of the Republicans before the 1860 election.
