Although these "bolters" represented fewer than half the counties of the state, their action was significant and the contagion might spread. Consequently, one week later Douglas turned aside in the Senate from the pending question upon which he was speaking to address his fellow senators on the condition of political parties in Illinois. In a speech characteristically abusive he denounced the leader of the "bolters" as an ex-Mormon with an unwholesome record, and he fastened upon the recalcitrants the name of "Danite," by which they were known during the remainder of the campaign. He took care during the course of his remarks to state that in his opinion Buchanan was not a party to the attacks made upon him from the ranks

in Illinois.

The Democratic press of the state immediately lined up with the rival conventions. A majority of the editors of the state favored Douglas, who had thus far been intrusted with a large part of the federal patronage of the state. The Whig editors took no part in the quarrel; the Buchananites were sadly in the minority. Some of the Douglas supporters went so far as to place the name of Douglas at the head of a column on the editorial page, as if the election of a senator were to be determined by popular vote. This, added to the direct nomination of Lincoln by the Republican convention, gave additional color to the popular aspect of the campaign. It was as if the two were running for the presidency rather than for an election to a senatorship through a state legislature.

[Illinois State Register, Springfield, June 17]

Mr. Lincoln is recommended for Senator and however unusual such an issue may be, it is now plainly and squarely one before the people of the state for United States senator-Stephen A. Douglas on the one side and Abraham Lincoln on the other; the Democracy of the one against the black republican principles of the other.

[New York Daily Tribune, June 26, 1858]
ILLINOIS

Sketch of the Hon. Abraham Lincoln

Correspondence of the New York Tribune

COLLINSVILLE, ILL., June 15, 1858

The decided expressions of the Republican Convention of this State in favor of Abraham Lincoln for Senator, in the place now held by Judge Douglas, will give interest to anything throwing light upon the character and abilities of Mr. Lincoln, especially to those who are not acquainted with him. As he has served only one term in the Lower House of Congress, and that so long ago as 1846-8, there must be many who would like to know how he will be likely to fill the place of the now so notorious-I might say distinguished-Douglas. Is he a match for his "illustrious predecessor"?

But I am forgetting myself, which was chiefly to relate an incident showing the two men in contact and somewhat in comparison. I think it has never been in print.

It was in the Fall of 1854, when the Nebraska bill was a fresh topic, Lincoln was speaking to some two thousand persons in the State-House at Springfield. Douglas sat on the Clerk's platform, just under the Speaker's stand. In his introduction, Lincoln complimented his distinguished friend; said he himself had not been in public life as he had; and if he should, on that account, misstate any fact, he would be very much obliged to his friend the Judge, if he would correct him. Judge Douglas rose with a good deal of Senatorial dignity, and said that it was not always agreeable to a speaker to be interrupted in the course of his remarks, and therefore, if he should have anything to say, he would wait until Mr. Lincoln was done. For some reason, he did not keep to his purpose, but quite frequently rose to put in a word when he seemed to think his case required immediate attention. One of these passages and it was pretty nearly a sample of the rest-was in this wise: Lincoln had been giving a history of the legislation of the Federal Government on the subject of Slavery, and referring to the opinions held by public men, and had come down to the Nicholson letter, wherein the denial of the power of Congress to prohibit Slavery in the Territories was first presented to the public. Said he, "I don't know what my friend

the Judge thinks" [and he looked down upon him with a smile half playful, half roguish], "but really it seems to me that that was the origin of the Nebraska bill." This stroke at the Senator's laurels in the matter of the "great principle," created a good deal of laughter and some applause, which brought the Judge to his feet. Shaking back his heavy hair, and looking much like a roused lion, he said, in his peculiarly heavy voice which he uses with so much effect when he wishes to be impressive, "No, Sir! I will tell you what was the origin of the Nebraska bill. It was this, Sir! God created man, and placed before him both good and evil, and left him free to choose for himself. That was the origin of the Nebraska bill." As he said this, Lincoln looked the picture of good nature and patience. As Douglas concluded, the smile which lurked in the corners of Lincoln's mouth parted his lips, and he replied, "Well, then, I think it is a great honor to Judge Douglas that he was the first man to discover that fact." This brought down the house, of course, but I could not perceive that the Judge appreciated the fun in the least..

W.

Congress adjourned June 1, 1858, and Douglas started for Chicago by way of northern New York, where he intended paying a visit to his aged mother. So prominently before the public was he at this time, in view of the coming contest in Illinois, that the newspapers chronicled his every movement on the way.

[Chicago Times, June 27]

SENATOR DOUGLAS

Senator Douglas, accompanied by his beautiful and accomplished wife, arrived at the Girard House, Monday night, from Washington en route for Chicago, where he proposes opening his campaign.-He was visited, in the course of yesterday, by a large number of our most influential citizens-holding quite an impromptu levee, in fact, for no special announcement of his arrival in this city had been made. He appeared in excellent health and spirits. He left New York by the afternoon train.-Phila. Press.

[Daily Whig, Quincy, Ills., July 1]

Senator Douglas is at present at his mother's in the State of New York-recruiting previous to entering upon the campaign in this State. It is said that he will open the ball at Carlinville, Macoupin County. COL. CARPENTER on the part of the Administration Democrats, is to take the stump, it is said, and meet Douglas in the field.

The Republican standard bearer will be HON. ABE LINCOLN―and we could not place our cause in abler hands.

Let the people hear and judge between the principles of these contending parties.

[Cincinnati, Ohio, Commercial, July 6, 1858]

MR. DOUGLAS IN ILLINOIS

The Dismantled Democracy and the Administration]

We have been informed, from a satisfactory source, that it is the purpose of Mr. Senator Douglas (now en route homeward) to enter at once upon the state campaign of Illinois, which, in the approaching fall election, is to determine the complexion of the Legislature, and thus whether Mr. Douglas or some other man is, for the next term of six years, to take the chair so long occupied in the United States Senate by the "Little Giant." We learn, too, that adopting a conciliatory course toward the administration, the plan of the campaign of Mr. Douglas will be war to the knife against the destructive anti-slavery heresies of the late Illinois State Convention, and of their Senatorial nominee, Mr. Lincoln; and that thus, taking up the glove thrown before him, Mr. Douglas, upon the broad democratic principles of constitutional obligations and state rights, will make a fair field fight with the opposition upon the ground of their own choosing.

In this aspect of affairs, the Illinois Republicans having coolly turned their backs upon Mr. Douglas, he is in an excellent position to understand the exact necessities of his case, the difficulties of his party and the way to surmount them.

Considering, therefore, the dangers which surround the Illinois Democracy, with the critical position of Mr. Douglas on the one hand, and the excessiye confidence of the opposition on the other, we may anticipate a campaign out there as desperate as that of the Pennsylvania October election of 1856, and perhaps as momentous to the Democratic party in reference to the Presidency.

[Cincinnati, Ohio, Commercial, July 8, 1858]

ILLINOIS POLITICS

A correspondent, a particular friend and admirer of Douglas, writing from Olney, Ill., under date of July 3d, to the Vincennes Sun, gives a glimpse of the fight in Illinois.

The Little Giant will soon be among us, and as he moves about we can tell how the people feel. It is conceded here that it's all right in this district.

Every district where there is any hope will be looked after and nothing left undone that will tend to success. By about September the whole state will be alive with stumpers,-Douglas will be backed by the "giants," and the Black Republican Ajaxes will be in the field armed for the conflict. Distinguished speakers from all parts of the Union on both sides are promised.

Lincoln is popular-the strongest man the opposition have,—is nearly fifty years old-six feet two-slightly stoop-shouldered—very muscular and powerful— dark eyes a quizzical, pleasant, raw-boned face-tells a story better than anybody else—is a good lawyer-and is what the world calls a devilish good fellow.He would have been senator before, had not Trumbull's superior cunning overreached him. But, in dignity, intellect and majesty of mind it is not pretended that he is Douglas's equal.

[Cincinnati, Ohio, Commercial, July 13]

MR. DOUGLAS-HIS PASSAGE THROUGH OHIO-HIS

COMFORTERS

The Honorable Stephen A. Douglas appears to have put himself into not very desirable hands in his passage through the state of Ohio. It is true that if he found it advisable to put himself into any hands whatever, he had left to him very little freedom of choice. The original Buchanan men, and those whose interests it is still to appear to cling to the presidential faction, could not, of course, have anything to do with him.

Having addressed a large gathering of the people at Clifton Springs, N. Y., on the Fourth of July, Douglas departed for Chicago. In New York, at Cleveland, and at Toledo, Ohio, he was tendered serenades and receptions. Recalling the unfortunate manner in which the people of Chicago had greeted him four years before, his supporters now planned a reception which, by its very magnitude would overwhelm hostility if any were manifest and would also show Buchanan that Illinois chose to follow her senator rather than the President. It was the first of the extraordinary rallies made to the banner of Douglas in the campaign of 1858.