Stephen A. Douglas: A Study in American Politics Part 25

Illinois, too, was now reckoned as a doubtful State. Douglas had forced the issues clearly to the fore by pressing the nomination of Richardson for governor.[589] Next to himself, there was no man in the State so closely identified with Kansas-Nebraska legislation. The anti-Nebraska forces accepted the gage of battle by nominating Bissell, a conspicuous figure among those Democrats who could not sanction the repeal of the Missouri Compromise. Only the nomination of a Know-Nothing candidate complicated the issues which were thus drawn.

Shortly before the October State elections, Douglas saw that he had committed a tactical blunder. Richardson was doomed to defeat. "Would it not be well," wrote Douglas to James W. Sheahan, who had come from Washington to edit the Chicago _Times_, "to prepare the minds of your readers for losing the State elections on the 14th of October?

Buchanan's friends expect to lose it then, but carry the State by 20,000 in November. We may have to fight against wind and tide after the 14th. Hence our friends ought to be prepared for the worst. We must carry Illinois at all hazards and in any event."[590]

This forecast proved to be correct. Richardson, with all that he represented, went down to defeat. In November Buchanan carried the State by a narrow margin, the total Democratic vote falling far behind the combined vote for Fremont and Fillmore.[591] The political complexion of Illinois had changed. It behooved the senior senator to take notice.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 536: Section 23, United States Statutes at Large, X, p.

285.]

[Footnote 537: See remarks of Douglas, _Globe_, 34 Cong., 1 Sess., App., pp. 360-361.]

[Footnote 538: Howard Report, pp. 108-109.]

[Footnote 539: _Globe_, 34 Cong., 1 Sess., App., pp. 360-361.]

[Footnote 540: Spring, Kansas, pp. 39-41.]

[Footnote 541: _Ibid._, pp. 43-49; Rhodes, History of the United States, II, pp. 81-82.]

[Footnote 542: Spring, Kansas, pp. 53-56.]

[Footnote 543: Rhodes, History of the United States, II, p. 99.]

[Footnote 544: _Ibid._, p. 100.]

[Footnote 545: _Ibid._, p. 101.]

[Footnote 546: Spring, Kansas, Chapter V; Rhodes, II, pp. 102-103.]

[Footnote 547: Rhodes, History of the United States, II, p. 103.]

[Footnote 548: Sheahan, Douglas, p. 286.]

[Footnote 549: Senate Reports, 34 Cong., 1 Sess., No. 34.]

[Footnote 550: _Globe_, 34 Cong., 1 Sess., p. 639.]

[Footnote 551: Senate Report, No. 34, p. 4.]

[Footnote 552: _Ibid._, p. 7.]

[Footnote 553: Senate Report, No. 34, pp. 7-9.]

[Footnote 554: _Ibid._, p. 23.]

[Footnote 555: Senate Report, No. 34, p. 34.]

[Footnote 556: _Ibid._, p. 39.]

[Footnote 557: Senate Report, No. 34, p. 40.]

[Footnote 558: _Ibid._, pp. 39-40.]

[Footnote 559: _Globe_, 34 Cong., 1 Sess., p. 693.]

[Footnote 560: _Globe_, 34 Cong., 1 Sess., p. 657.]

[Footnote 561: _Ibid._, App., pp. 280 ff.]

[Footnote 562: New York _Independent_, May 1, 1856; quoted by Rhodes II, p. 128.]

[Footnote 563: _Globe_, 34 Cong., 1 Sess., App. p. 544.]

[Footnote 564: _Globe_, 34 Cong., 1 Sess., App., p. 531.]

[Footnote 565: _Ibid._, p. 545.]

[Footnote 566: _Globe_, 34 Cong., 1 Sess., App., p. 547.]

[Footnote 567: Rhodes, History of the United States, II, p. 148.]

[Footnote 568: _Globe_, 34 Cong., 1 Sess., p. 1305.]

[Footnote 569: Rhodes, History of the United States, II, pp. 103-106; 154-166.]

[Footnote 570: _Globe_, 34 Cong., 1 Sess., p. 1439.]

[Footnote 571: _Ibid._, 35 Cong., 1 Sess., p. 22.]

[Footnote 572: _Ibid._, p. 119.]

[Footnote 573: _Ibid._, p. 119.]

[Footnote 574: Senate Report, 34 Cong., 1 Sess., No. 198.]

[Footnote 575: _Globe_, 34 Cong., 1 Sess., App., p. 795.]

[Footnote 576: Rhodes, History of the United States, II, pp. 194-195.]

[Footnote 577: Senate Bill, No. 172, Section 3.]

[Footnote 578: Senate Bill, No. 356, Section 13.]

[Footnote 579: _Globe_, 34 Cong., 1 Sess., App., p. 779.]

[Footnote 580: Speech at Alton, Illinois, 1858.]