r political associates from the South.
Under what was known as the "English Amendment," the obnoxious
Constitution was referred to the people of Kansas, and by them
overwhelmingly rejected.

The close of this controversy in the early months of 1858 left
Douglas in a position of much embarrassment. He had incurred
the active hostility of the President, and in large measure of his
adherents, without gaining the future aid of his late associates
in the defeat of the Lecompton Constitution. His Senatorial term was
nearing its close, and his political life depended upon his
re-election. With a united and aggressive enemy, ably led, in his
front; his own party hopelessly divided--one faction seeking his
defeat--it can readily be seen that his political pathway was by no
means one of peace. Such, in brief outline, were the political
conditions when, upon the adjournment of Congress, Douglas returned
to Illinois in July, 1858, and made public announcement of his
candidacy for re-election.

In his speech at Springfield, June 17, accepting the nomination of
his party for the Senate, Mr. Lincoln had uttered the words which have
since become historic. They are quoted at length, as they soon
furnished the text for his severe arraignment by Douglas in debate.
The words are:

"We are now far into this fifth year since a policy was initiated
with the avowed object and confident promise of putting an end
to slavery agitation. Under the operation of that policy, that
agitation has not only not ceased, but has constantly augmented.
In my opinion, it will not cease until a crisis shall have been
reached and passed. 'A house divided against itself cannot stand.'
I believe this country cannot endure permanently half slave and
half free. I do not expect the Union to be dissolved--I do not
expect the house to fall--but I do expect it will cease to be
divided. It will become all one thing or all the other. Either
the opponents of slavery will arrest the further spread of it
and place it where the public mind shall rest in the belief that
it is in the course of ultimate extinction, or its advocates
will push it forward until it shall become alike lawful in all the
States, old as well as new, North as well as South."

This, at the time, was a bold utterance, and, it was believed by
many, would imperil Mr. Lincoln's chances for election. Mr. Blaine
in his "Twenty Years of Congress," says:

"Mr. Lincoln had been warned by intimat