By publicly making an issue of the contradictions in The Lincoln's speeches from town to town.
There's no doubt that Lincoln couched his argument in different terms as he moved further into southern Illinois. But I reckon the record can stand your interpretation -- especially as it is similar to making a horse chestnut into a chestnut horse.
Lincoln wound up in the White House. Douglas did not.
That process started in these debates.
Walt
Yeah, to the point of contradicting himself. He espoused equality in some places, then adopted of the conditions of inferior and superior in others. Douglas called him on it and sent him into a semantical bullsh*t fest that was so transparent it could make Clinton's "meaning of is" line look believable by comparison.
especially as it is similar to making a horse chestnut into a chestnut horse.
To paraphrase that tactic you so often do, as it was described in a line defending slavery by The Lincoln.