Senators are not voted for by the people, but by the
legislatures of their respective States and as a first result of
all this discussion about the right or wrong of slavery it was
found that the Illinois legislature, instead of having its usual
large Democratic majority, was almost evenly divided. Lincoln
seemed the most likely candidate; and he would have undoubtedly
been chosen senator, had not five men, whose votes were
absolutely necessary, stoutly refused to vote for a Whig, no
matter what his views upon slavery might be. Keeping stubbornly
aloof, they cast their ballots time after time for Lyman
Trumbull, who was a Democrat, although as strongly opposed to
slavery as Lincoln himself.
A term of six years in the United States Senate must have seemed
a large prize to Lincoln just then--possibly the largest he might
ever hope to gain; and it must have been a hard trial to feel it
so near and then see it slipping away from him. He did what few
men would have had the courage or the unselfishness to do.
Putting aside all personal considerations, and intent only on
making sure of an added vote against slavery in the Senate, he
begged his friends to cease voting for him and to unite with
those five Democrats to elect Trumbull.
"I regret my defeat moderately," he wrote to a sympathizing
friend, "but I am not nervous about it.
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