Lincoln/Douglas question.

Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports
1

http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_105.html

Re: Lincoln/Douglas. The essay doesn’t really tell why Douglas went through with the debates. Cecil gave plenty of Republican reasons, but I don’t know if that’s enough to force an unwilling Douglas to debate. Did he have reasons of his own?

2

“Douglas agreed to the joint appearances only after Lincoln followed him around the state, making comments from the audience.”

From this this site .