territory as they inhabit." This political philosophy, so
comfortably applied to Texas in 1846, is just what the Confederacy
wished in 1861; and just exactly what Lincoln did not wish in 1861.

As Lincoln knew all along, his course concerning the war and the
administration was displeasing some of his constituents; some of whom
would rather be warlike than to be right, others honestly favored
expansion. Like most of the other Whigs he had voted for the Ashmun
amendment which said that the war had been "unnecessary and
unconstitutionally commenced by the President." He learned that some of
the people of Springfield would be displeased with an attitude that
seemed to weaken the administration in a time of stress, but with
Lincoln it was a matter of conscience and he met it fairly without
evasion or any sort of coloring. And later when Douglas accused him of
being unpatriotic he replied that he had not chosen to skulk, that he
had voted for what he thought was the truth, and also reminded his
hearers that he had always voted with the rest of the Whigs for the
necessary supplies to carry on the war after it had been commenced. He
would have liked renomination, but Judge Logan was nominated and was not
elected.

He was on the electoral ticket and stumped New England and Illinois for
Taylor, as soon as Congress adjourned. The New England speeches were
full of moral earnestness. In Boston he heard Governor Seward speak and
said: "I reckon you are right. We have got to deal with this slavery
question and give more time to it hereafter than we have been giving."
In December he went back to Washington for the second session and worked
consistently for the Wilmot Proviso, designed to exclude slavery from
territory acquired from Mexico. At this second session he voted against
a bill to exclude slavery from the District of Columbia, because he did
not like the form of the bill and then introduced a measure himself
designed to serve the same purpose.

When his term as Congressman expired he sought but failed to obtain the
position of Commissioner of the General Land Office. He was offered the
position of Governor of the newly organized territory of Oregon, but
this, due somewhat to the sensible advice of his wife, he declined. Then
he went back to Springfield to practice law again, and to travel the
muddy roads of the old Eighth Circuit, a somewhat disappointed and
disillusioned man; but as ever the same sincere, kindly brother to