"In an age so prone to misrepresentation as the present, our devotion to the Constitution and the Union cannot be too frequently nor too distinctly declared. In view of this, I cannot forbear placing upon record my protest, embodying, as I believe, the sentiment of the people of Illinois, against the idea and against any national policy conforming to the idea that the Almighty has drawn a line on this continent on one side of which the soil must be cultivated by slave labor."

On the 6th of January the Senate and House of Representatives met in joint session for the purpose of electing a United States Senator; Stephen A. Douglas received 54 votes and Abraham Lincoln 46. Douglas having received a majority of all the votes cast, was declared duly elected for the term of six years, from March, 1859.

The duration of the session was fifty-two days. Outside of the election of Senator, there was little of an exciting nature, and the laws enacted, other than those which pertained to the carrying on of the State government and the institutions, were local in character. A joint resolution was passed asking Congress for the immediate construction of a building at Springfield, for the accommodation of United States courts, pension, land and post offices, and also a joint resolution recommending that at the next election for members of the General Assembly the electors vote for or against calling a convention to form a new constitution.

CHAPTER VIII.

STATE CAMPAIGN OF 1860.

Four State Tickets-Four Electoral Tickets-Aggregate Vote for State Officers-Aggregate Vote for Congressmen, by Districts-Aggregate Vote for Electors-How Lovejoy Conquered Prejudice-An Attempt to Kidnap Richard Yates-How Lovejoy Helped the Democrats-Yates and the Kentucky Colonel-" It Made Our Very Hair Frizzle."

The Republicans were early in opening the campaign. They assembled in State Convention on the 9th of May. Richard Yates was nominated for Governor, Francis A. Hoffman for Lieutenant-Governor, Jesse K. Dubois for Auditor, Wm. Butler for Treasurer, O. M. Hatch for Secretary of State, and Newton Bateman for Superintendent of Public Instruction. A resolution favoring the nomination of Abraham Lincoln for President was unanimously adopted.

On the 13th of June the Democrats met at Springfield and nominated James C. Allen for Governor, L. W. Ross for Lieutenant-Governor, G. H. Campbell for Secretary of State, Bernard Arntzen for Auditor, Hugh Maher for Treasurer, and E. R. Roe for Superintendent of Public Instruction. They endorsed the candidacy of Stephen A. Douglas for the Presidency.

The Buchanan Democracy held their State convention at the same place, on the 11th of July, and nominated Thomas M. Hope for Governor, Thomas Snell for Lieutenant-Governor, B. T. Burke for Secretary of State, Henry S. Smith for Auditor, W. H. Cather for Treasurer, and

J. H. Dennis for Superintendent of Public Instruction. This convention was composed chiefly of Federal office holders.

The Bell and Everett party-Native American-held their State convention as late as August 16, at Decatur. John T. Stuart was nominated for Governor, Henry S. Blackburn for Lieutenant-Governor, James Monroe for Secretary of State, James D. Smith for Auditor, Jonathan Stamper for Treasurer, and D. J. Snow for Superintendent of Public Instruction.

The Democratic National Convention had assembled at Charleston, South Carolina, April 23, with full delegations from every State, and after fifty-seven ineffectual ballots for a candidate for President, seven of the Southern States withdrew, when the convention adjourned, to meet at Baltimore, June 18, at which Stephen A. Douglas was nominated for President, and B. Fitzpatrick, of Georgia, for Vice-President, but Fitzpatrick declined the nomination, and Hershell V. Johnson, of the same State, was substituted by the National Committee. The Seceders met in the same city, June 22, and nominated John C. Breckinridge, of Kentucky, for President, and Joseph Lane, of Oregon, for Vice-President.

A "Constitutional Union" convention from twenty States met at Baltimore, May 9, and nominated John Bell, of Tennessee, and Edward Everett, of Massachusetts, for the Presidency and Vice-Presidency.

The Republican National Convention assembled at Chicago, May 16, and nominated Abraham Lincoln for President, and Hannibal Hamlin, of Maine, for Vice-President.

The novel spectacle of four State tickets and four Presidential tickets was presented to our people for the first and perhaps the last time.

The contest was remarkable in character. The four Presidential tickets made it necessary to present four sets

of State and District Electors, which, added to the candidates on the respective State tickets, presented an array of speaking talent that was never before, nor since, witnessed in any political struggle in our State. But the real issue was between the Republican party and the Douglas Democracy. Richard Yates was regarded as one of the ablest, if not the ablest and most impressive speakers in the country, while James C. Allen was as near his peer as any man within the Democratic lines. Each made an extended canvass, speaking day and night to congregated thousands of anxious hearers. The issue was National-the slavery question-and while Allen presented the views of his wing of the Democratic party with masterly ability, it was apparent that the popular heart in the more enlightened districts was with Yates, and that the people felt that the Republican party was not only progressive in character, but that it was sound in its theory as to the proper solution of the vexed question of slavery, and when the election returns came in it was shown that the Republicans had carried the Presidential and State tickets, and both branches of the Legislature. Yates run 1,090 ahead of Lincoln and Hamlin, and Allen 999 ahead of Douglas and Johnson. The Breckinridge and Lane vote was 2,292, and Bell and Everett 4,851. The Republican vote for President was 171,106, and the Douglas vote was 158,254.

The aggregate vote for State officers, Congressmen and Presidential Electors is as follows: