kindled and fast growing into a flame.

[Illustration: HARPER'S FERRY]

PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN OF 1860.

The presidential campaigns that had been pressed heretofore with a
certain philosophic good nature, now assumed a tragic character. The
South saw the growing preponderance of the North. New States were
continually forming out of the enormous territory in the West, the
opposition to slavery was intensifying, and its overthrow was certain.
Senator Seward had announced the "irrepressible conflict" between
freedom and the institution, and the only remedy the South saw lay in
secession from the Union, for they loved that less than slavery. They
announced their unalterable intention of seceding in the event of the
election of a president of Republican principles. The Republicans placed
Abraham Lincoln, of Illinois, in nomination. Jefferson Davis saw that
the only way of defeating him was by uniting all the opposing parties
into one. He urged such a union, but the elements would not fuse.

The Democratic convention assembled in Charleston in April, 1860, and
had hardly come together when the members began quarreling over slavery.
Some of the radicals insisted upon the adoption of a resolution favoring
the opening of the slave trade, in retaliation for the refusal of the
North to obey the fugitive slave law. This measure, however, was voted
down, and many were in favor of adopting compromises and making
concessions for the sake of the Union. Stephen A. Douglas was their
candidate, but no agreement could be made, and the convention split
apart. The extremists were not satisfied with "squatter sovereignty,"
and, determined to prevent the nomination of Douglas, they withdrew from
the convention. Those who remained, after balloting some time without
result, adjourned to Baltimore, where, on the 18th of June, they placed
Douglas in nomination, with Herschel V. Johnson as the nominee for
Vice-President. Their platform was the doctrine that the people of each
Territory should settle the question of slavery for themselves, but they
expressed a willingness to abide by the decision of the Supreme Court.

The seceding delegates adjourned to Richmond, and again to Baltimore,
where, June 28th, they nominated John C. Breckinridge for President and
Joseph Lane for Vice-President. Their platform declared unequivocally in
favor of slavery being protected in all parts of the Union, where the
owners chose to take their slaves.

The Amer