Booth Brothers: Drama, Fame, and the Death of President Lincoln

Booth Brothers: Drama, Fame, and the Death of President Lincoln — page 9
Republican Party poised to win The Republicans had formed just a few years earlier in 1854 as a largely anti slavery party They had chosen Abraham Lincoln a lawyer and former congressman from Illinois as their candidate in 1860 Lincoln’s political view of slavery was well known Just two years earlier when he was selected as Illinois Republican candidate in a U S Senate race Lincoln had delivered a now-famous speech called A House Divided In it he said A house divided against itself cannot stand I believe this government cannot endure permanently half slave and half free I do not expect the Union to be dissolved I do not expect the house to fall but I do expect it will cease to be divided It will become all one thing or all the other Lincoln lost that Senate election to Stephen A Douglas In 1860 Lincoln faced his old rival once more in the presidential election This time Lincoln triumphed over Douglas and two other candidates to become the 16th president Many in the South were not pleased to say the least