Fremont was nominated for President, and
Lincoln received over a hundred votes for Vice-President, but
fortunately, as it proved, was not selected, the honor falling to
William L. Dayton of New Jersey. The Democratic candidate for
President that year was James Buchanan, "a Northern man with
Southern principles," very strongly in favor of slavery. Lincoln
took an active part in the campaign against him, making more than
fifty speeches in Illinois and the adjoining States. The
Democrats triumphed, and Buchanan was elected President; but
Lincoln was not discouraged, for the new Republican party had
shown unexpected strength throughout the North. Indeed, Lincoln
was seldom discouraged. He had an abiding faith that the people
would in the long run vote wisely; and the cheerful hope he was
able to inspire in his followers was always a strong point in his
leadership.
In 1858, two years after this, another election took place in
Illinois, on which the choice of a United States senator
depended. This time it was the term of Stephen A. Douglas that
was drawing to a close. He greatly desired reelection. There was
but one man in the State who could hope to rival him, and with a
single voice the Republicans of Illinois called upon Lincoln to
oppose him. Douglas was indeed an opponent not to be despised.
His friends and followers called him the "Little Giant.
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