Formally known as the Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, Cooper Union is a private college in New York City. Established in 1859 by Peter Cooper, a wealthy industrialist and inventor, the college pursued goals that were radical at the time, primarily that education should be available to the most able without regard to their financial ability. In 1860, [Abraham Lincoln] delivered a speech in opposition to the views of [Stephen Douglas] on the issue of slavery in federal territories. Considered to be one of the great speeches of his career, Lincoln`s words propelled him towards the Republican nomination for the [election of 1860].