Final answer:
Lincoln's response to race issues and Frederick Douglass ranged from politically cautious to gradually progressive. He initially maintained a stance against social and political equality of the races but was firm on preventing the extension of slavery. The Civil War and the actions of black abolitionists and soldiers, such as Frederick Douglass, influenced Lincoln to take stronger measures toward emancipation and eventually limited suffrage rights for black Americans.
Step-by-step explanation:
Abraham Lincoln's response to Frederick Douglass and the topic of race reflects a complex stance that evolved over time. During his debates with Stephen A. Douglas, Lincoln expressed a view that did not support the social and political equality of black and white races, emphasizing a stance that sought not to dehumanize blacks but also maintained the superiority of the white race. This position was partly a strategic response to Douglas's accusations that Lincoln was a 'Black Republican' and in favor of black equality, which at the time could have been politically damaging. Lincoln's public position in August 1862, revealed through his actions and correspondence, showed that while he did not initially commit to the immediate abolition of slavery, he was against its extension into new territories. This stance remained steadfast, as seen in his rejection of the Crittenden Compromise, which he believed would amount to surrendering the principles on which he was elected.
Lincoln's evolving policies were further shaped by the context of the Civil War, where black participation in the Union Army and their quest for freedom forced him to reconsider the objective of the war. The actions of black abolitionists like Frederick Douglass and the African-Americans who fought for the Union pushed Lincoln towards recognizing the necessity of ensuring freedom for enslaved people. This would eventually lead to the Emancipation Proclamation, which declared freedom for all slaves in Confederate states not under Union control. Lincoln's encounter with Frederick Douglass at the White House, while initially hostile, did not ultimately deter his eventual move towards endorsing some rights for African-Americans, including limited suffrage to the 'very intelligent' and those who served in the Union Army.