Biographers of Lincoln note that he was personally involved with this publication and had to this time never given such diligent attention to anything he had ever written or published. The stakes could not have been higher. This landmark, nearly verbatim record of his debates with Douglas needed to be crisp and nuanced. Unsurprisingly, the book was an immediate sensation and remains today the most widely read Presidential candidate debate in history.

Initially issued solely by Follett, Foster and Company of Columbus, the present is the first edition, but a later issue, and seemingly the first to be issued jointly with East Coast publishers. It likely gave Follet, Foster and Company quite a feeling to see their name in all caps, three font sizes larger than Boston's Crosby, Nichols, Lee, & Co.; New York's M. Doolady, and four font sizes larger than Pittsburgh's Hunt & Miner and Cincinnati's Rickey, Mallory, & Co. 

This is not of course the all-important first edition, first printing, a fine example of which will set you back somewhere close to $10,000. Still, an early printing of the first edition and an important imprint that greatly broadened its distribution in advance of the election. The multi-publisher imprint is much rarer than the first edition later printings issued solely by Follet, Foster and Company. 

Lincoln, Abraham. and Stephen A. Douglas. Political Debates between Hon. Abraham Lincoln and Hon. Stephen A. Douglas, In the Celebrated Campaign of 1858, in Illinois; Including the Preceding Speeches of Each, at Chi cago [sic], Springfield, Etc.; Also, the Two Great Speeches of Mr. Lincoln in Ohio, in 1859, as Carefully Prepared by the Reporters of Each Party, and Published at the Times of their Delivery. Columbus: Follett, Foster and Company. Boston: Crosby, Nichols, Lee & Co. New York: M. Doolady. Pittsburgh: Hunt & Miner. Cincinnati: Rickey, Mallory & Co. 1860. [4pp Adverts] 268pp.

Good. Spine inexplicably damaged, but structurally very solid. As usual, due to a paper defect, the prelims and rears are moderately to heavily foxed. Signed on ffep by Edward T. M'Crea [an Indiana politician]. Title lightly foxed. Text generally very crisp, solid, and clean.