{"product_id":"stephen-a-douglas-9780786498079","title":"Stephen A. Douglas","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e   When newly elected Illinois State Representative Abraham Lincoln first saw 5''4 Stephen A. Douglas, he sized him up as the least man I ever saw. With the introduction of Douglas''s first bill in 1834, Lincoln soon thought differently. The General Assembly not only passed the bill, it appointed the 21-year-old Douglas State''s Attorney of Illinois'' largest judicial district, replacing John J. Hardin, one of Lincoln''s most powerful political allies.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e   It was the first of many Douglas-Lincoln contests in the decade ahead. Struggles over banking, internal improvements, party organizations, the seat of government and slavery--even romantic rivalry--put them on opposing sides long before the 1860 presidential election. These battles were Douglas''s political apprenticeship and he would use what he learned to obstruct Lincoln--his friend and nemesis--while becoming the most powerful Democrat in the nation.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"McFarland \u0026 Company","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51742315118935,"sku":"9780786498079","price":29.96,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9780786498079.jpg?v=1758384201","url":"https:\/\/bookcurl.com\/products\/stephen-a-douglas-9780786498079","provider":"Book Curl","version":"1.0","type":"link"}