ppreciate the saying. I
surely will not blame them for not doing what I should not know how to
do myself. If all earthly power were given me, I should not know what to
do as to the existing institution."

His instinctive aversion to fanaticism found expression in a plea for
the golden mean in politics.

"Some men, mostly Whigs, who condemn the repeal of the Missouri
Compromise, nevertheless hesitate to go for its restoration lest they be
thrown in company with the Abolitionists. Will they allow me as an old
Whig, to tell them good-humoredly that I think this is very silly. Stand
with anybody that stands right. Stand with him while he is right
and part with him when he goes wrong. Stand with the Abolitionist
in restoring the Missouri Compromise, and stand against him when he
attempts to repeal the Fugitive Slave Law. In the latter case you stand
with the Southern dis-unionist. What of that? You are still right.
In both cases you are right. In both cases you expose the dangerous
extremes. In both you stand on middle ground and hold the ship level and
steady. In both you are national, and nothing less than national.
This is the good old Whig ground. To desert such ground because of
any company is to be less than a Whig-less than a man-less than an
American."

These two speeches against Douglas made an immense impression
Byron-like, Lincoln waked up and found himself famous. Thereupon, his
ambition revived. A Senator was to be chosen that autumn. Why might not
this be the opportunity to retrieve his failure in Congress? Shortly
after the Peoria speech, he was sending out notes like this to prominent
politicians:

"Dear Sir: You used to express a good deal of partiality for me, and if
you are still so, now is the time. Some friends here are really for me
for the United States Senate, and I should be very grateful if you could
make a mark for me among your members (of the Legislature)."(7)

When the Legislature assembled, it was found to comprise four groups:
the out-and-out Democrats who would stand by Douglas through thick and
thin, and vote only for his nominee; the bolting Democrats who would not
vote for a Douglas man, but whose party rancor was so great that they
would throw their votes away rather than give them to a Whig; such
enemies of Douglas as were willing to vote for a Whig; the remainder.

The Democrats supported Governor Matteson; the candidate of the second
group was Lyman Trumbull; the Whigs supported