The Kansas-Nebraska Act - Essay Example

There was a divided interest at this point as there was also strong consideration of territorial implications. Stephen A. Douglas, the proponent of this proposed bill, was highlighting national expansion, but the people were most concerned on the extension of slavery. The Kansas-Nebraska Act is therefore a highly political issue that sparked interest among the people and their rights to express their freedom to take stand concerning the issue. This policy certainly affected the Midwest because it divided the consensus stand on the idea behind national expansion.

Instead, people were directed to focus on the critical issue about the extension of slavery. Prior to this, there was already a strong desire to eliminate slavery as clearly stated in Lincoln’s “House Divided” speech (PBS; Wikipedia). In the absence of consensus effort to be united on one stand, division should be remarkable and this was what Lincoln tried to emphasise in his speech concerning the issue associated with Kansas-Nebraska Act. Lincoln’s “House Divided” speech Lincoln’s speech was an awakening point which could give further justification needed to obtain national solidarity that was threatened by political elements at that time.

In order to make his points clearer, Lincoln tried to reference three of most controversial major governmental policies that for him if the people would not be united, particularly the governing body, there would be disunity and separation of popular interest diverted to personal and not to national assurance. Lincoln tried to emphasize national territory as a primary concern for the alignment of political goal of the nation. At this point, he urged the law-making body as far as legal combination was concerned, and so he believed “a house divided against itself cannot stand.

” He was on the side revealing the point that a government could not remain to stand strong half slave and half free. In line with this, he cited the case of Kansas-Nebraska Act and other major governmental policies that gained popular protests and reactions. So there is therefore a good structure on Lincoln’s speech, which elaborates the need to take stand based on the prevailing reality. Lincoln emphasized the need to consider alarming output of some major governmental policies, which has become the strong basis of his stand to point out the Government could not just eventually take center stage but should need to understand solidarity for national expansion or growth.

This makes Lincoln’s speech highly organized with appropriate point and structure, trying to combine persuasive manner in addressing a particular issue. Charles Beecher’s sermon, elements of rhetoric or style Obviously, Beecher’s way of addressing the issue on national policies on slavery was an expansion of text coming from the bible. He remarkably gained his authority and strong voice on the issue with reference to some biblical text. As part of the development of his sermon, the focus of his application on the chosen biblical text was his own interpretation and stand on the national policies on slavery.

This made a powerful combination of obtaining voice and authority in his sermon considering that there could be much more appreciation already placed on the actual issue and on the biblical text. Beecher’s sermon therefore has a specific voice trying to influence popular interest as it was timely and created a specific