House Divided according to Shmoop

[Amy L.]

No. I am of the opinion that Lincoln was consistent, and that the speech was not a call to arms, but an urgent warning, and a case against trusting Douglas.

Might I ask conversely, if possible to give a synopsis, what were the agruments that this 1858 speech were so directly inflammatory? How might Lincoln be blamed for the war?

I was surprised to read yesterday from the book recommended by Verge:
“Lincoln, in the campaign of 1858… formulated [the] body of Republican doctrine…” (“Crisis of the House Divided….” by Harry Jaffa (pg. 20))
That's pretty powerful; I only assumed the doctrine was echoed...

(Thank you for trying to keep the theme going, Roger. I gotta read more...)