In Springfield, the capital of Illinois, United States of America, October 1860, on the small square in front of City Hall.

Senator Steven Douglas of Illinois, the candidate for the Democratic presidential race, stood on a podium made up of several simple wooden tables, and a stout and low wooden stake was placed on the podium. And Illinois is a very important state in the United States of America, and I think she should lead by example and ask everyone to support me as a candidate for the Democratic Party, which is a national political party that has the ability to apply policies to the entire United States of America, and I have the ability to lead the Democratic Party to serve Illinois and the people of the United States. ”

"My old adversary, Mr. Lincoln, always liked to avoid the issue of slavery, and he wanted to avoid offending everyone by remaining silent. But two years ago, when he and I were running for a seat in the U.S. Senate in Illinois, he said that if there is slavery in one part of the country and there is no slavery in the other, then there can be no unity in the country, either slavery is practiced in the whole country or slavery is banned in the whole country. To this remark, I still say that the United States is a big country, and it is the best way for one region, but not necessarily the best for another. Half of the United States has slavery and half of it has been forbidden, and this has been going on for 70 years, so why can't this continue? Each has its own way of life, as if this brother likes the missionary position and the brother over there likes the, I think Mr. Lincoln must force everyone to use the missionary position or the doggy position or even the Lincoln style of his own making, it will be annoying, isn't it? ”

Douglas made a rare vulgar joke, which made the crowd around laugh out loud, and they all coaxed: "Lincoln-esque? Mr. Douglas, can you tell us what Lincoln asana is? Maybe I'll try it with my mother-in-law tonight! ”

Douglas spread his hands and smiled, "You'll have to ask Attorney Lincoln about this." Still, I don't think you'd better follow his Lincoln style, because you don't have the length of your face and your beard as thick as his! ”

After teasing his opponent Lincoln, Douglas began his thoughts on slavery again: "I will not accept the idea that blacks are equal to me, and I refuse to treat blacks as my brothers. However, this does not mean that a black person should be a slave, and that a black person should enjoy any rights, as long as such rights do not threaten the security of the social environment in which he lives. ”

"Every state or territory must make a decision about what rights Black people in their region should have. Illinois decided that blacks were not citizens, but Illinois protected their lives, property, and civil rights, and that Illinois simply denied the political rights of blacks and did not allow blacks to be equal to whites. Such a policy is suitable for me, and it is also suitable for our Democratic Party. This is my attitude towards slavery or not, I am not against slavery, nor against the promotion of slavery, but federal law cannot impose slavery on areas that are unwilling to accept slavery, and the people of the states should have their own sovereignty, and should not be united, but completely left to the discretion of the majority of the free people in the state. Douglas ended his speech, exhausted but surprisingly in good spirits.

Although he knew that his words might upset the Democrats in the Southern states, and the slave owners in the Southern states, he did not hesitate to say so. The Illinois speech was his last presidential speech, and the Nov. 6 election polling day will be just around the corner. He didn't have time to speak anymore, he was going to take a break in Springfield City and go straight to the election.

No more regrets! It is very likely that he has already lost the election, after all, it is estimated that it will be difficult for him to get many votes in the south. But what should be done, I have done it, and it is done with a clear conscience! Douglas sighed!

Jumping off the podium, Douglas waved his hand and pushed his assistant away before he came to help him, not wanting to be seen as weak by the public. But he knew that after several months of giving speeches in turns, almost all the states in the United States, and when he came back from the speech, his already weak body had reached the limit, and if he didn't stop, he was afraid that he would collapse directly.

Springfield City is actually quite small. It was only seven years ago that it was built, and it only became a larger city three years ago, but in fact it has less than 30,000 people.

When Douglas and his assistant returned to their lodgings, the assistant told him, "Mr. Douglas, why don't you follow my advice?" We have long advised you not to say anything about slavery, and to be like Lincoln, and to remain silent on the dispute between the North and the South over the question of the abolition of slavery, so that there would be a lot of room for manoeuvre. Look at your opponent, Mr. Lincoln, sir, who has been silent on the issue of slavery, but has secretly hinted at both sides, so that the people of the northern states think that he is in favor of the abolition of slavery, and the people of the southern states think that he is in favor of slavery. And you, Mr. Douglas, have made your attitude towards slavery so clearly that it may seem two-pleased, but in fact it is not pleasing to both sides. The Northern states will be dissatisfied with your attitude because you do not explicitly oppose slavery, and the Southern states will be dissatisfied with your lack of clear approval of slavery......"

Douglas interrupted his assistant, sighed, and said, "Don't say it!" How could I not understand this, but I cannot go against my heart to deceive the people hypocritically, let alone myself! My 'theory of popular sovereignty' is the best solution to the dispute between the northern and southern states over slavery. Any other idea, whether it is the abolition of slavery or the support for the expansion of slavery, will cause unrest and even division in the United States! I will not allow it! ”

The assistant looked at the haggard Douglas in front of him with some complexity, both annoyed and admired. Half-ringing, the assistant gritted his teeth and said, "Sir, do you want me to hire those western cowboys to come forward, taking advantage of the fact that there are still a few days before the official election, and Lincoln will also return to Springfield City to ...... it" Speaking of this, the assistant viciously pulled the trigger, suggesting that someone was hired to assassinate Lincoln directly.

"Bastard!" Hearing this, Douglas roared angrily, and he exclaimed, "This must not be done!" You're ruining America and decades of federal election traditions! I warn you, you must not fight such an idea, I would rather fail, I would rather give up running for president than do such a dirty and criminal thing! You don't have to look at me arguing with Lincoln, don't look at my usual speeches to be sarcastic about him, but I have no ill will towards him, just fair competition, in fact, I even admire him, except for his elongated horse face. Of the four candidates today, he and I are the most vocal, he is my strong opponent, but as long as it is a fair race, even if he wins, I will bless him. Because the United States of America needs a leader like me and him, I will never allow anyone to plot against it, which will destroy the electoral system that has been consistent in the United States of America for many years, and will endanger the very foundation of the United States of America, which will not be tolerated. ”

The assistant was frightened by the anger on Douglas's face, and quickly lowered his head and said no more. But in his heart, he was even more upset for Douglas: Mr. Douglas, do you think I don't know, you and Lincoln are rivals in love, twenty years ago, the girl you liked married the poor boy with a horse face, and now that poor boy has become a high-income lawyer with a million family properties, do you really never envy and hate?

.......

At night. In another luxurious residence in the same city, the Republican presidential candidate, Abraham Lincoln, sat quietly in his study, and next to him, there was a quiet woman, none other than Lincoln's wife, Mary Todd.

"My dear, I seem to have seen the day when I will become the president's wife, and my God, I already smell it, and it is not far off." Mary Todd smirked at Lincoln.

Lincoln frowned and said, "Mary, don't get too happy and get carried away too soon!" There are still several days to go, and the ballots will not come out until the last day, and no one knows the results. ”

Mary Todd complained and said, "Honey, you're too cautious! Are you still worried about that competitor Douglas? ”

Seeing that her husband was silent, Mary Todd knew that she was right, and she hurriedly comforted: "No need to worry! I just heard that Douglas had returned to Springfield and had just finished his last speech in the afternoon, but in this speech he expressed his attitude on the slavery dispute between the North and the South, and it was ridiculous that he was talking about the 'theory of popular sovereignty' and so on. He may want to please both sides, but he doesn't know it, so he will not please both sides. Anyway, I've already concluded that this Douglas is no match for you at all. I'm so glad I didn't choose to associate with him in the first place! ”

Lincoln's brow furrowed even deeper, and as the day of the election drew nearer, he found that his wife, Mary, was more and more direct in her thoughts, almost as if she were running for president, much more excited than he was.

It seems that in recent times, Lincoln has clearly felt that his wife Mary is secretly carrying him behind his back and doing a lot of things. Lincoln reluctantly found that his wife, who had always been submissive, would have such great ambitions and wanted to become the president's wife. This had to make him mistakenly think that the reason why he chose to marry himself instead of Douglas 20 years ago was not because he loved himself at all, but because he was more likely to be successfully elected president than Douglas.

Thinking of this, Lincoln was heartbeat, his heart was shocked, he thought of it, and hurriedly lowered his voice and said: "Mary, tell me, what happened to William Seward, who ran with me for the Republican presidential nomination a few months ago, was it arranged by you?" ”