will he was nominated and elected to the
legislature in the fall of 1854, but when he saw the dissatisfaction in
the Democratic party he was encouraged to resign from the legislature
and become a candidate for the United States Senate. The Democrats,
though not in perfect harmony, had a majority, and he could not be
elected, but helped to turn the tide for the revolting faction of the
Democrats. Though disappointed he knew that the struggle was only
begun.

The nation was aroused over the question of slavery. While many good
people desired peace rather than agitation concerning such an irritating
problem, the question of slavery in the territories had to be decided
and the whole question of slavery would not down. In 1856 the Republican
party was organized for the state of Illinois in a big convention at
Bloomington at which Lincoln made a strong speech; and in the Republican
National Convention held in Philadelphia a few weeks later he was given
110 votes for Vice-President. He was committed to the new Republican
party and campaigned vigorously for Fremont, their candidate for
President.

Lincoln's enthusiastic friends said he was already on the track for the
Presidency. As the contest of 1858 for the Senate approached, it again
appeared that the Democrats would be divided and Lincoln had some
confidence of success. Out in Kansas the proslavery men, by an unfair
vote, had adopted the Lecompton Constitution favoring slavery; President
Buchanan urged Congress to admit Kansas with that fraudulent
constitution; Douglas opposed that constitution and voted against the
admission of Kansas as a slave state; thus angering the President and
the South and delighting the Republicans of the North.

Now the time was approaching when, in the 1859 session of the Illinois
legislature, Douglas would have to stand for re-election to the United
States Senate. The legislators would be chosen in the campaign of 1858
largely on that issue. Douglas had become the foremost man in the
Democratic party, and any man who could beat him would have national
recognition. The Republicans of Illinois nominated Lincoln, who
challenged Douglas to a series of joint debates.

The famous Lincoln-Douglas Debates are full of interest and repay a full
and careful study, but they will be treated very briefly in this volume.

Lincoln entered upon these debates in a lofty spirit and to the end
pursued a high course, fraught with kindness, fairness, magnanimi