Lincoln's First Political Speech

[Amy L.]

Thank you David and Roger for compiling all these sources; they're fun to read!

Just last night I came across this Posey-Ewing debate in Douglas Wilson's Honor's Voice.
Wilson wrote, "While not a campaign speech in his own behalf, it was offered in a political context and apparently was effectively presented and well received. ...William G. Greene says Lincoln himself spoke of this early effort. 'His first Stump Speech ever made I have heard him say was in Macon Co. ... this was no Political Speech but an Experermenter...  I have often heard [Mr. Lincoln] regret that he had no copy of it as it was Extempo.' " (p.146)