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AN EXCITING ELECTION.

answer, as I have, that I am pledged to nothing about it. It is a subject to which I have not given that mature consideration that would make me feel authorized to state a position so as to hold myself entirely bound by it. In other words, that question has never been prominently enough before me to induce me to investigate whether we really have the constitutional power to do it. I could investigate it if I had sufficient time to bring myself to a conclusion upon that subject; but I have not done so, and I say so frankly to you here, and to Judge Douglas. I must say, however, that if I should be of opinion that Congress does possess the constitutional power to abolish the slave-trade among the different States, I should still not be in favor of the exercise of that power unless upon some conservative principle, as I conceive it, akin to what I have said in relation to the abolition of slavery in the District of Columbia.

"My answer as to whether I desire that slavery should be prohibited in all the Territories of the United States, is full and explicit within itself, and can not be made clearer by any comments of mine. So I suppose in regard to the question whether I am opposed to the acquisition of any more territory unless slavery is first prohibited therein, my answer is such that I could add nothing by way of illustration, or making myself better understood, than the answer which I have placed in writing."

1860.

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at Chicago. After two ballots, which resulted in no choice, Lincoln was chosen on the third, receiving three hundred and fifty-four of the whole four hundred and sixty-five votes.* The election was then made unanimous. The party responded enthusiastically to the choice, and began at once to stir the country with an exciting canvass. The "Wide Awakes," unarmed but uniformed armies of voters, mustered and led by bands of music, were paraded through the streets in marching order by day, and in torchlight processions at night. Illuminated banners, gigantic flags, and posters made the names of Lincoln and Hamlin familiar to every eye and ear. Republican orators, of whom Seward, himself the leading competitor for the nomination of President with Lincoln, was the chief, posted from State to State, city to city, and throughout the rural districts, gathering great crowds and arousing them by their fervid rhetoric to resist the encroachments of slavery, and rally to the standard of the party organized to oppose it.

The divided Democrats and the socalled Unionists were not less demonstrative with their flaunting and noisy appeals through party emblems, processions, "monster" meetings, and po litical speech. The country was never so agitated and party spirit so envenomed. Mutterings, in the mean time,

The whole number of votes was 465, of which 253 were necessary to a choice. On the first ballot, Seward received 1734, Lincoln 102, Cameron 50, and Bates 48; the rest were scattered. On the second ballot, Seward received 184, and Lincoln 181; on the third, Lincoln had

On the 16th of May, the Re-
publican National Convention met 354, Seward 1104, Dayton 1, and McLean 4 a vote.

of disaffection came from the South anticipating defeat, but were either not listened to, or scouted as the grumbling of impotent discontent. The clamor of party drowned all but its own voice.

In consequence of the dissensions and divisions of the Democratic party, the Republicans succeeded in electing their candidate. Abraham Lincoln was elected President of the United States, 1860. having received the electoral vote of seventeen States-California, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin-while the electoral vote of eleven States was given to Breckinridge, of three to Bell, and of two to Douglas. The whole popular vote, however, was only 1,857,610 for the Republican candidate, while that for the other three combined amounted to 2,804,560. Lincoln, by his election, became at once, from a comparatively obscure person, whose name before his nomination was hardly known beyond the limits of the State of Illinois, the most prominent man in the country. Though acknowledged in his own State as an acute lawyer and skillful politician, he had never been recognized by the country at large as a leading statesman. He had, however, acquired in Illinois such a repute for political and personal integrity, that the people of the North, of all parties, disgusted with the corruption in high

places, readily accepted him as a chief magistrate, upon whom they might rely for a strict adherence to his constitutional obligations. The "honest Abe" of his partisans would prove, it was believed, the worthy President of the great Republic.

Personally, Lincoln, who in character and manner has the unreserved and popular characteristics of the Western man, has no pretensions to the stately dignity we are apt to associate with the office of President. Retaining the informal habits of his early life, he is easily accessible, and yields without reserve his ready social sympathy to the first comer. A tall, gaunt man, with bending shoulders like an overweighted Atlas, nearly six feet and a half in height, and of great physical vigor developed by the rude labor of his earlier, and strengthened, by the simple habits of his later years, he looks the representative of the sturdy democracy of the country. With none of the pretentious refinements of a fastidious culture, he yet has a naturally vigorous understanding, carefully improved by legal and political study. A certain logical acumen seems the characteristic of his mind, and tracing with untiring pertinacity the windings of an argument, he is skilled in distinguishing the plausible from the true. His mental like his moral character seems to have a natural bias for truth, and the nation, in these days of political crime, confidently trusts in his honesty.

EFFECT OF LINCOLN'S ELECTION.

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CHAPTER III.

The Election of Lincoln a signal and pretext of Insurrection.-The news hailed with joy in South Carolina.-Secession Meetings. Sympathy of Slave States. Offer of Aid from Virginia.-Secession Movement in New Orleans.-A Call for an Army in South Carolina.-Resignation of the United States Senators from South Carolina.-Tendency to Rebellion in the other Slave States.-Action of the Legislature of Georgia.-Florida hails the "Gallant Palmetto Flag." The Governor of Alabama advises to prepare for Secession.-Conventions ordered. -Increase of the Seces-. sion Mania in South Carolina. -Flying of the Palmetto Flag, and excited enthusiasm of the People.- An infectious example.-Arming of Georgia.-Commissioners from Mississippi.-Mutual Counsel and Advice.-Arming of the Southern People.-Purchases of Arms from the North.-Increased Barbarity at the South.-Feeling at the North.Trust in the sentiment of Union.-Hope from Congress and the President.-Disappointment.-President Buchanan's Message.

1860.

THE election of Lincoln was made the | Carolina for calling out and equipping signal in the South, as it was the an army of ten thousand volunteers, and pretext, for the open defiance of on the same day was ordered an election the authority of the Federal Govern- for delegates to a convention to take ment. The intelligence of the fact was action on the question of secession. received at Charleston, S. C., with un- This was followed by the resignation by disguised joy, and the citizens gave vent the South Carolina senators of their to their enthusiasm in "long-continued seats in the Senate of the United States, cheering for a Southern confederacy." which was accepted with enthusiasm. Meetings were held, where local orators Finally, on November 13th, the Legisdelivered stirring speeches, in which lature adjourned sine die, when its prethey declared that Southern independ-paratory acts of secession were honored ence could only be secured by the se- by a torch-light procession in the capcession of South Carolina, and were ital of the State. rapturously applauded. The conspirators of the different Southern States interchanged expressions of sympathy and offers of mutual service. From Virginia, even at that early period, came a proffer to South Carolina of a volunteer corps to aid her in her projected rebellion. In New Orleans, placards were posted on the walls of the city inviting the citizens to military organization, and soon 'minute men" were mustered in every cotton State.

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On the 10th of November a bill was introduced in the Legislature of South

The other cotton States, though less precipitate than South Carolina in legislative action, gave early indications of their tendency to insurrection. The Legislature of Georgia refused to order the election of a senator to fill a vacancy in the United States Senate. The Governor of Florida sent a telegraphic greeting to the Governor of South Carolina, declaring that "Florida is with the gallant Palmetto flag." The Governor of Alabama advised his fellow-citizens to prepare for secession, and gave notice of his intention to order an election of

States, for mutual counsel in regard to the best means of resistance to the North.

delegates to a State convention. An extra session of the Legislature of Virginia was called to "take into consideration the condition of public affairs." The people of the slave States were At the same time great meetings were daily arming themselves for an anticiheld at New Orleans, Augusta, Mont-pated encounter with the Federal augomery, Vicksburg, and other Southern thorities they were provoking. Imcities, in favor of disunion. Each day mense purchases of arms and ammunition brought with it a fresh development of were made at New York, Boston, and the secession mania. The citizens of Hartford. The rage against the unsymCharleston gathered in crowds to "in- pathetic citizens of the North, who by augurate the revolution." The palmetto an unhappy fate chanced to be exposed flag, the symbol of the State, was hoisted to their insults and violence, was maniupon tall poles of pine erected for the fested with increased barbarity. purpose, and flung out from every public building, hotel, and private residence. Men, women, and children flaunted secession badges, and yielded unresistingly to the common madness.

The loyal citizens of the country, though alarmed by these rebellious indications of the slave States, yet trusted to the sentiment of union to check, and the power as well as the disposition of the Federal Government to repress them. Some looked to Congress, now in Dec. session, for a ready compliance with 3. measures of conciliation and compromise, by which Southern discontent might be soothed by Northern concession. Others trusting in the power of Government, hoped that the chief magistrate, now that his weak will and vacillating purposes could be steadied and directed by congressional resolution, would bind with the fetters of authority the rebellion before it should be aroused in its might.

In the meanwhile the example of South Carolina was infecting her neighbors. The Legislature of Georgia voted Nov. an appropriation of a million of 18. dollars "to arm and equip the State," and ordered an election of delegates to a convention. The Legislature Nov. of North Carolina refused to elect 30. а United States Senator. The Legislature of Mississippi authorized the Nov. governor to appoint commissioners 29. to visit the slaveholding States, to devise means in co-operation for "their common defense and safety." The Leg- The message of Buchanan, however, Dec. islature of Florida unanimously soon dissipated these hopes. Instead of 1. passed the bill calling for a con- a dignified vindication of authority, Dec. vention. The Legislature of Georgia it was an ill-concealed attempt at 4. again, unable to check its impatience, justification of its contemners, and an Dec. made a further advance toward re-open declaration of their impunity. This 3. bellion by considering a resolution remarkable document will be always to invite a conference of the Southern considered a not inefficient promoter of

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rebellion, and is now recorded as an efforts of different States to defeat the important fact in its history.

PRESIDENT BUCHANAN'S MESSAGE,

"FELLOW-CITIZENS OF THE SENATE

AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:

"Throughout the year since our last meeting, the country has been eminently prosperous in all its material interests. The general health has been excellent, our harvests have been abundant, and plenty smiles throughout the land. Our commerce and manufactures have been prosecuted with energy and industry, and have yielded fair and ample returns. In short, no nation in the tide of time has ever presented a spectacle of greater material prosperity than we have done until within a very recent period.

execution of the Fugitive Slave law.

"All or any of these evils might have been endured by the South without danger to the Union (as others have been), in the hope that time and reflection might apply the remedy. The immediate peril arises not so much from these causes, as from the fact that the incessant and violent agitation of the slavery question throughout the North for the last quarter of a century, has at length produced its malign influence on the slaves, and inspired them with vague notions of freedom. Hence a sense of security no longer exists around the family altar. This feeling of peace at home has given place to apprehensions of servile insurrection. Many a matron throughout the South retires at night in dread of what may befall herself and her children before the morning. Should this apprehension of domestic danger, whether real or imaginary, extend and intensify itself until it shall pervade the masses of the Southern people, then disunion will become inev

of nature, and has been implanted in the heart of man by his Creator for the wisest purpose; and no political union, however fraught with blessings and ben

Why is it, then, that discontent now so extensively prevails, and the Union of the States, which is the source of all these blessings, is threatened with destruction? The long-continued and intemperate interference of the Northern people with the question of slavery in the Southern States has at length pro-itable. Self-preservation is the first law duced its natural effects. The different sections of the Union are now arrayed against each other, and the time has arrived, so much dreaded by the Father of his Country, when hostile geograph-efits in all other respects, can long conical parties have been formed. I have long foreseen and often forewarned my countrymen of the now impending danger. This does not proceed solely from the claims on the part of Congress or the Territorial Legislature to exclude slavery from the Territories, nor from the

tinue, if the necessary consequence be to render the homes and the firesides of nearly half the parties to it habitually and hopelessly insecure. Sooner or later the bonds of such a union must be severed. It is my conviction that this fatal period has not yet arrived; and my

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