New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-06-24

for Congress in his District, and was elected by
the largest majority it ever gave for any candl-
date or any party. Just look al the figures:
Uhig Dem. 1hj
1912 Governor Duncan G. 057 Ford. ....5Il6.. 9il
1874 President Clay g. 7J2 Polk ..... .5sl5. 9ii
1916 Congress Lincoln G. $40 Carwrigt 81. Il, jll
1StS. Congress Logan. u 095 Harris. 1901. lcd
1915. President Taylor g. lea Cass.....-G6s7. l3Oi
1850 Congress Yates. 1908 Harris G. 2Ji.. 75i
The Districts rccas before the election OF 1852
Here are six distinct contests in that Dis
trict-all Of which We can find any record-we
believe all that ever occurred in it-and the
highest majority it ever cast for any one was
that given for Abraham Lincoln. though the
vote was usually much higher, especially at a
Presidential election.
All this time, Mr.. Lincoln was struggling
against the popular current in his State, as
generally in the Nation. When he frst entered
upon political life, Illinois was and ever had
been strongly Democratic and devoted to Gen.
Jackson, yet he proclaimed himself Wing AID
an intense admirer of Henry Clay. No one
could have taken that side without expecting TO
be generally in q minority. l. that the course
likely to commend itself to a vulgar boor and
buifoon, ambitious (as Mr.. Lincoln clearly was)
of political success aud cminencc
In ls49 the Wing minority Of the Legisla-
ture of Illinois cast their votes for Mr.. Lincoln
as T. s. Senator. while many able and honorei
champions OF their faith would have been proud
OF the honor.
| In 1854, there was a breaking up of old par
tios. Many Democrats were shaken loose from
their moOrngs by the passage OF the Nebraska
bill. The Legislature of Illinois then chosen,
showed for the first time an Opposition major
| ity. A u. S. Senator was then 20 be elected in
place of Gen. Shields, Il Nebraska Democrat.
spontaneously. and without hesitation, the
great mass Of the anti Nebraska members desig-
mated Abraham Lincoln as their first choice for
the proud position. On balloting, however, il
was found that four or five anti-Ncbreska Dem
ocrats would not vote for one whom they had
hitherto opposed IA Wing. Thereupon, by Mr..
Lincon's urgent advice, the etcnths dropped
the man Of their choice and went over to the
one-tenth, electing Mr.. Trumbull, an anti-Ne-
braska Democrat. This was at once generous
and WISE
! In 1858, Mr.. Douglass first term drew TO q
close. The Legislature then 10 be chosen must
elect his successor. The Republican party had
now become consolidated and homogeneous
in good part, through the magnanimity Of Mr..
Lincoln and his friends in 1915. A State
Convention assembled in the Spring, and, with
out one dissenting voice. nominated Mr.. Lin
coin as their candidate. They did this in full
view of the fact that he must expect to meet
and grapple with Stephen A. Douglas, one OF
the very best popular debaters Of any age or
country. If they had supposed they had more
deserving or better man for the work than Lin
coin, they would doubtless have nominated that
man.
In the contest that followed it is well known
that our sympatheS were not on the side Of Mr..
Lincoln. That is to say: regarding men as of
no account in comparison with ideas, we
thought the Republicans Of Illinois should have
supported Mr.. Douglas, in acknowledgment Of
iHC Bioot oci'ioO h' hou Ju't icHu'icu W the
cause Of Public Liberty in defeating the Lee
compton bill. We have never been driven from
this position, though we can easily realize that
the fierce antagonisms engendered by twenty
years of fierce and often abusive party warfare
could not readily be efaced. Suffice it that issue
was joined, and the canvass between Messrs.
Lincoln and Douglas that ensued was one of
the sblest, the most lucid the most instructive,
ever known. 1t was an honor TO our country
and TO republican institutions. We think Mr..
Lincoln had much the stronger and juster posi-
ton; but on this point opinions will differ:
while on that Of the talent, felicity, ingenuity
and general good temper ovinced by either dis
putant We sec not how there can BIO two opin.
IONS In the event. Mr.. Douglas was re-
elected, but Mr.. Lincoln received tho larger
popular vote. And It was the very first in.
stance of such Q preponderance on that side In
an Illinois canvass.
In 1850. Mr.. Lincoln was invited to speak for
the Republican cause in this City, and bis
speech was much the most oogent, felicitous,
convincing defense Of our main position ever
uttered in Cooper Institute Tens of thousands
OF It were circulated and sdmiringly read, and
it doubtless powerfully oonduoed to his nomin-
sAqQ for Prssidsnt n Chicago esns two uQathsl