I spent the bulk of my Friday column summarizing early Republic and antebellum debates on the nature of the American Republic. The arguments run from Thomas Jefferson and James Madison in the 1790s to Abraham Lincoln in the 1860s. Speaking of Lincoln, researching that column gave me an excuse to read through a few of his most famous speeches and addresses. They organized speeches, debates, lectures and dramatic performances and brought in notable persons to participate. Some of these were tied to a particular town or city; others were operations that moved from place to place.

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Persons: Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Abraham Lincoln, —, Lincoln, Illinois Legislature —, Francis McIntosh, Louis Organizations: Lincoln, Young Men’s Lyceum of Springfield, Illinois Legislature Locations: Republic, American Republic, Young Men’s Lyceum of Springfield , Ill, ”, United States, Illinois, Springfield, New Salem, St, Mississippi