He didn't say that in a debate, but in the Gettysburg Address. It is probably one of the greatest speeches any president has given.
Abraham Lincoln
He was making a reference to the 12 states that left the union. Hence "a house divided" and he meant that if it stayed that way the nation couldn't stay a nation.
Lincoln did not believe in slavery, and when he was elected president in 1860, 7 states had left the Union. This was the beginning of the division of the United States. So one event was his election. The start of the Civil War in 1861 is another. This almost officially divided the USA into two teams or sides.
Lincoln in the Gettysburg Address.
to ffollow carlos aguirre on twitter @aguirrecarlos54Answer:The wise President was quoting the Bible... applying it to the divisive, destructive state of the union at that time that threatened to tear the United States apart."...'Every kingdom divided against itself WILL BE RUINED, and EVERY CITY or HOUSE DIVIDED AGAINST ITSELF WILL NOT STAND..." (Matt.12:25 NIV).This is a prime example of "ONENESS" -- working TOGETHER for a "worthy" moral purposetoward the common goal of prosperity and success of everyone... as opposed to "every man for himself."Which is a guaranteed road to destruction. [like the road the nations of the world are on today]President Lincoln was merely uttering a "statement of fact" from God's Word, the Bible [the Truth; John 17:17], as a witness and warning to the nation... probably amid his prayers and crying out to God for His Mercy on the blinded, deceived nation. Hoping that He might open the eyes of the nation, that it might turn to Him "as one" in repentance... and for forgiveness. Not "divided and defeated."
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln President said a house divided against itself cannot stand.
During the Lincoln-Douglas debates in 1858, Lincoln used the "House divided against itself" statement as a reference to the issue of slavery. Lincoln was saying in effect that as long as the nation was fighting over the slavery issue, it would cause great harm to itself.
The original quote is from the Gospel of St. Mark: "If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand." It was borrowed by Abraham Lincoln.
Abraham Lincoln was debating Stephen Douglas who was a great orator and known for his ability to compromise. Lincoln was trying to say that sometimes you can't compromise. His words were, "A house divided against itself can not stand." The public wasn't ready to listen to Lincoln and Douglas won the debates.
"A house divided against itself cannot stand"
Abraham Lincoln
One of Abraham Lincoln's most famous speeches is his second inaugural address. Another was, of course, the Gettysburg Address. An earlier speech of note is his House Divided against itself cannot stand.
Abraham Lincoln was able to unite a nation that was deeply divided when he took over.
When Abraham Lincoln said that a house divided against itself could not stand, he was referring to the issue of slavery. He did not believe the US government could endure operating with one half allowing slavery and the other not.
No. But Lincoln gained national notice from their debates, and in those debates got Douglas staked out to positions regarding slavery that helped Douglas win the Senate seat in 1858, but helped Lincoln win the presidency in 1860, when he again ran against Douglas. So Lincoln lost the battle, but won the war. Lincoln's "House Divided" speech from the 1858 debates is a classic of American history. Lincoln did not have speech writers either. He spoke from the heart, and very eloquently. We haven't had politicians with the guts to do that, or, for that matter, who HAVE principles they believe in that much (beyond "vote for me!"), in a very long, sad time.
No, he wasn't, ha didn't even want to fight, he didn't think about black freedom, but the nation was divided, as he said a nation divided against itself, cannot satnd