For all practical purposes, Senator Stephen Douglas believed his home State, Illinois was the logical place for a transcontinental railroad to begin, and open up the western frontiers for development. His idea, aside from "pork barreling", had some merit. Chicago had grown into a major city for manufacturing. Its location on Lake Michigan, and the fact that farm products were nearby, made Chicago a good place to begin a new railroad. Product transportation between Chicago's waterway route, Lake Michigan combined with a major rail route to the West, would create an economic dynamic.
Senator Stephen A. Douglas believed that the voters in the Kansas Territory would elect to make Kansas enter the Union as a free state. One reason was that he believed Kansas' climate and the culture of its settlers were negatives on any pro-slavery outcome.
Stephen Douglas believed that the issue of slavery should be determined by popular sovereignty, allowing individual states and territories to decide for themselves whether to allow slavery. He supported the idea that each state should have the right to choose whether to be a free or slave state.
Abraham Lincoln believed that slavery was morally wrong and sought to prevent its expansion into new territories, while Stephen Douglas believed in popular sovereignty, allowing each state or territory to decide for itself whether to allow slavery. Lincoln's ultimate goal was to eventually abolish slavery throughout the nation, whereas Douglas prioritized maintaining the peace and unity of the country.
Stephen Douglas was pro-slavery in the sense that he believed in popular sovereignty, allowing new territories to decide for themselves whether to allow slavery or not. He was not necessarily advocating for slavery but believed that the decision should be left to each individual state or territory.
Senator Stephen A. Douglas believed that through popular sovereignty, the people of the Kansas Territory would vote to become a free state upon its entry into the Union. He believed that the settlers in the Kansas Territory had gone there to escape slavery and the competition of slaves in the labor market. As far as Douglas could tell, the people of Kansas were small time farmers who had little interest in having slavery as part of their economy.
Stephen Douglas proposed the Kansas-Nebraska Act that opened lands for settlement. He believed that if the government allowed the white settlers in those states to decide through popular sovereignty whether they want to be slave state or free would end the debates.
If Stephen Douglas believed in popular sovereignty, he would have supported allowing individual states and territories to decide for themselves whether to permit slavery. This stance was a key aspect of his political platform during his debates with Abraham Lincoln over the expansion of slavery in the United States. Douglas's belief in popular sovereignty was based on the principle of self-determination and state rights.
Stephen Arnold Douglas. He Represented the State of Illinois.
President James Buchanan wanted accept the pro-slavery constitution drawn up and to admit Kansas to the union as a slave state. Although he was personally opposed to slavery he believed that it had constitutional protection and he was bound to uphold it. Stephen Douglas thought the people of Kansas should be allowed to vote on their state constitution and reject slavery if they so voted.
Stephen Douglas
popular sovereignty
Stephen Douglas