In his speeches in the 1850s, Abraham Lincoln:

A) Accepted a limited application of the policy of popular sovereignty
B) Called for the immediate abolition of slavery
C) Advocated the passage of a constitutional amendment to end slavery gradually
D) Suggested that the South sought to spread slavery throughout the nation

In his speeches in the 1850s, Abraham Lincoln suggested that the South sought to spread slavery throughout the nation, indicating his belief that slavery was a fundamentally immoral institution. While he opposed the expansion of slavery into new territories and states, he initially accepted a limited application of the policy of popular sovereignty as a means of addressing the issue. However, over time he became more strident in his opposition to slavery, calling for its eventual abolition and ultimately supporting the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution, which abolished slavery throughout the United States.