By Ed Epstein
March 26, 2025
Washington D.C.
A Lincoln Group program from last December featuring author Edward "Ted" McClelland discussing his book "Chorus of the Union: How Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas Set Aside Their Rivalry to Save the Nation," will air on the C-SPAN2 cable TV channel at 5:30 p.m. this Saturday, March 29.
McClelland's book tells how the longtime bitter political rivals from Illinois fought to preserve the union during the secession crisis of 1860-61. The two men ran against each other for president in 1860 -- Lincoln as the candidate of the young, united Republican Party and Douglas as the candidate of part of the once-dominant Democratic Party that had fractured over the issue of slavery.
Once Douglas realized that he could not win in 1860, he barnstormed, even in the deep south, to warn against disunion. Once Lincoln won, Douglas urged him not to allow secession to succeed and after Lincoln took office on March 4, 1861, he and Lincoln met several times to discuss combatting the Confederacy.
It remains unclear how far the Lincoln-Douglas alliance could have lasted because Douglas died in June 1861. Lincoln mourned his loss.
The program is also available on the Lincoln Group's You Tube channel at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_uIAq-dWW0. You can subscribe to the channel at any time.
McClelland's appearance before the Lincoln Group in a Zoom program is one of many benefits in LGDC membership. To join, go to lincolnian.org and click on the "join now" tab in the upper right.
Photo courtesy of Ted McClelland
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