d he could not simply assume the nomination and place the
responsibility for the assumption upon the request of "many friends"--a
vague and specious way of covering up his own seizure of the honor. He
had to face the convention system which Douglas had introduced into
Illinois politics. And Douglas had Morgan County, his first home in
Illinois, back of him; and Sangamon County, his home since he had gone
into the legislature and the Land Office. Douglas was nominated.

A cry went up. An experienced Congressman, Mr. May, had been ruthlessly
put aside for the sake of an ambitious stripling! The Whigs rejoiced and
said that no nomination than that of Douglas could suit them better. And
the Whigs were powerful enough. They were coquetting with the
Abolitionists; and they stood for the tariff and the bank. Besides,
times were hard. It had been said that Jackson had set the tide of money
scarcity to flowing; Van Buren had increased it. There were also
disgruntled factions because of Douglas' so-called high-handed tactics
in capturing the nomination.

Then to make things worse the Democrats nominated a state ticket upon
which two of the candidates had been in the Land Office. So had Douglas.
Hence the cry: the Land Office Ticket. Douglas had made money, therefore
down with him! Only poverty and humility deserved honor.

I not only opened my purse to Douglas, for he was not in fact affluent;
but I decided to travel with him in the campaign. True to his courage
and his self-confidence he met his Whig opponent, Major Stuart, face to
face in joint debate at Springfield. I was greatly thrilled with this
contest. Major Stuart was very popular, an old resident, an officer in
the Black Hawk War, and a brave one, Reverdy told me. He was of powerful
physique, standing more than six feet, and equal to an arduous campaign.
At Springfield Stuart and Douglas came to blows. Stuart tucked Douglas'
head under his arm and carried him around the square; meanwhile Douglas
bit Stuart's thumb almost in two. As a debater and campaigner Douglas
was his superior. He made friends by the hundreds everywhere. He went
down among the gay and volatile Irishmen who were digging the Illinois
and Michigan canal, and won them to his cause. I was with him, watching
his methods, marveling at his physical resources, his exhaustless
oratory, the aptness and quickness of his logic.

In the midst of the summer we decided to go to Chicago. Douglas'
clothes, his boo