>> this weekend on american history tv on c-span3 -- this evening, the battle of spotsylvania courthouse which pitted the armies of grant against lee. >> in the wilderness, they fought for a couple days, come to a stalemate, grant moved left and south. they were here in spotsylvania for couple days. they fought to a stalemate, and then the federalist were moving left. what you think that puts in wii's mind? mind?lee's >> and then in lectures in history, duke university professor gunther pack talks about cold war policy toward refugees.

political refugees, anti-communists who are our allies, prototypical americans as they fight communist oppression abroad and we have an obligation to let them in because they are anti-communist. anti-communists>> and sunday a0 nancybob dole and kassebaum, both republican senators from kansas, talk about their years in congress. >> when bob was leader and i worked under -- we were in the senate 18 years together. but bob was leader for six of those years. mr. dole: 10. no -- sebaum: i was leader even after you left. ms. kassebaum: you were working together and i think that is what we need again. p.m., on road to the

roadhouse-rewind, the 1984 presidential debate between president ronald reagan and former vice president walter mondale. >> the terrorists have won each time. the president told the terrorists he was going to retaliate. he didn't. >> we are not going to simply kill some people to say, oh, look, we got even. we want to know when we retaliate we are retaliating with those who were responsible for the terrorist acts, and terrorist acts that are such that our own united states capitol in washington has been bombed twice. tofor the full schedule, go c-span.org. >> on october 16, 18 54, abraham lincoln, then an attorney on illinois's a few dishes circuit, delivered a three-hour speech in peoria.

the 1850's or kansas and nebraska act allowed settlers to decide on the issue of slavery, despite an agreement in the missouri compromise banning slavery north of the 36th parallel. speech outlined his arguments against slavery and help lay the groundwork for his political future. up next, with the help of our comcast cable partners, we visit the campus of bradley university to learn about abolitionist operating -- abolitionists operating a stop on the underground railroad. mosys and lucy pettengill were abolitionists in 1854. to peoria historicale peoria

society obtained the pettengills ' papers. ms. meyn: in researching the ttengill, i waspe very fortunate to find the last living descendent of the family in new hampshire. conquer,an went out to new hampshire, where we had an opportunity to look at the material the family had, that she had in her possession. it had been with the family for many years, and then in june of 2015, bradley university provided this room where i began the process of cataloguing the entire collection. at this point, i had 38 boxes of

paper documents and am currently working on the extensive collection of photographs that were passed along. this is a page from an autobiography that moses pettengill wrote later in life. it is interesting because it talks about his work on the underground railroad and this is what he says. it was is privileged to aid several fugitives from bondage on their way to freedom. in one case, he aided his sleigh wifest. louis to put his and children in a box and they were sent by a farmer to a mr. weill at jersey bill, illinois, some 50 miles before they were let out of the boxes.

then he questioned what they endured, no tongue can tell. free,ther and husband got but the mother and children were retaken and sent back by brutal men. moses heard about peoria, illinois from a man who had been there and moses was eager to see for himself. on arrival, they found a village of 150 people, mostly newcomers with 30 log cabins and frame buildings. though a mere village post at the time, he thought that peoria was a beautiful town and he predicted it would become a great city. this is one of many photo albums ettengillin the p collection. we are fortunate to have the first photograph of a younger pettengill and his wife

lucy. they are in their 40's, perhaps early 50's. we are used to seeing moses at this stage of his life, as an older gentleman. having the younger photo really was very special for us. in november, moses opens the first hardware store in pure enough. a lumberyard, a spice the factory, and a school, seminary. he bought two parcels of land and constructed this building, and reading his intent when you started it -- the world has need of a to get a christian women. the more, the better. in yournary was located

area, illinois. it did not last very long. it did close in 1910. dream.d been a life's over the years he had donated land and financially helped to support many schools, including the chicago theological seminary and also wheaton college. toes and lucy also worked organize a church. history book5th for the first congregational church and on the inside, we .ave a photograph of moses he was one of the big four in terms of leadership, and here is the first church building here in. . 20 eight by 50 feet, and at the top, it had a belfry where they had a small bronze church bell. it became known as the first peoria for god,

freedom, and land. the insight slavery sentiment was on the rise, not only in illinois, but across this young country at the time. the american anti-slavery society was organized and in its declaration, it called for immediate emancipation. how do we do this? establishas to societies, local societies across the country where speakers would tell the truth about slavery and anti-slavery literature could be distributed, and so the far west began to establish in different communities not only local communities and cities, but in the states as well. in peoria.ished one

the first attempt was 1843. they were mobbed and adjourned and did not accomplish their goal. on the anniversary of the first attempt, they were successful. sought immediate emancipation and the time in which there would be no slaves and all this land. moses felt that way, too. and at the end of the first attempt to establish an anti-slavery society here were unsuccessful, he said to his men the next day, gentlemen, i expect to live to see the time when there shall not be a slave in all of this land. and he did live to see that time. this is the home that served as the underground railroad station here. it is located at jefferson and liberty streets in downtown

peoria. it is a two-story brick structure. that theirple knew home was a station on the underground railroad, we really don't know. come across is not anything but one bit of testimony from a man who speaks of walking by the house and having seen fugitive slaves in the basement through a window. statione served as a for the underground railroad here is no longer there. today the civic center of peoria stands on this property and on this site is a commemorative sculpture by artist preston jackson. listed in the freedom program of the national park service. this is the last home that moses

built in illinois. in 18 68.ished at the time it was the countryside. it still stands today. during the turn of the century, a colonial revival porch was installed on the front. today it is known as the pette morron house, operated as a museum. the congregation in itself survived -- the church building 1936, but thein congregation in 1937, through a federation agreement united with .he second presbyterian church they came together after all of those years and formed the first of peoria.hurch

and there is a second bell, a bell and it was run on the occasion of every union victory. died in 18ngill three. this is a book published in 1884 with testimonials to his remarkable character in life here in peoria. it has this image of moses pettengill in the front. in the introduction to this memorial book, we read "only the good are truly great. judged by this standard, moses ll was truly a great man. to aid others, particularly the young, was his delight. not only were his funds used liberally in a multitude of

ways, but his advice given in the most pleasant way possible was up often more value than the money given. thrillingion of some experience drawn from his own example of always an the blessedness of doing good." >> this weekend, we are featuring the history of peoria, illinois, together with our comcast cable partners. learn more about peoria and other stops on our cities tour at c-span.org/citiestour. you're watching american history tv. all weekend, every weekend on c-span 3. every four years, the presidential candidates turn from politics to humor at the al smith memorial foundation dinner to raise money for catholic charities at new york's historic waldorf-astoria hotel.

mr. reagan: i must say, i am never quite understood the logistics of dinners like this and how the absence of one individual could cause three of us do not have seat. mr. dukakis: mr. president, i am glad to see you -- mr. vice president, i'm glad to see you tonight. you have said many, many times, you want to give america back to the little guy. mr. president, i am that man. it is an honor to share the dais with a descendent of the great out smith. your great-grandfather was my favorite kind of governor. the kind that ran for president and lost. romney: being a presidential candidate can involve a lot of wardrobe changes. a sportsport cut --

coat, and now it is nice to relax and where what anna and i wear around the house. smithch the alfred e. > next on american history tvs reelamerica, from 50 years ago a u.s. army film from the big picture series. "a nation builds under fire." it is introduced by vice president hubert humphrey and narrated by ctor john wayne. >> the vice president of the united states. former vp humphrey: i have just been looking over some of the sketches made in vietnam for the motion picture you are about to see. these are wonderfully strong pictures, they capture the spirit of the people of that