the rival
candidates for the senatorship, however, is exhibited more fully in
the vote for the members of the lower house of the State legislature..
The avowed Douglas candidates polled over 174,000, while the Lincoln
men received something over 190,000. Administration candidates
received a scant vote of less than 2,000. Notwithstanding this popular
majority, the Republicans secured only thirty-five seats, while the
Democratic minority secured forty. Out of fifteen contested senatorial
seats, the Democrats won eight with a total of 44,826 votes, while the
Republicans cast 53,784 votes and secured but seven. No better proof
could be offered of Lincoln's contention that the State was
gerrymandered in favor of the Democrats. Still, this was part of the
game; and had the Republicans been in office, they would have
undoubtedly used an advantage which has proved too tempting for the
virtue of every American party.

When the two houses of the Illinois Legislature met in joint session,
January 6, 1859, not a man ventured, or desired, to record his vote
otherwise than as his party affiliations dictated. Douglas received
fifty-four votes and Lincoln forty-six. "Glory to God and the Sucker
Democracy," telegraphed the editor of the _State Register_ to his
chief. And back over the wires from Washington was flashed the laconic
message, "Let the voice of the people rule." But had the _will_ of the
people ruled?

* * * * *

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 669: Hollister, Life of Colfax pp. 119 ff; Wilson, Rise and
Fall of the Slave Power, II, p. 567.]

[Footnote 670: Hollister, Colfax, p. 121.]

[Footnote 671: Wilson, p. 567.]

[Footnote 672: Bancroft, Life of Seward, I, pp. 449-450.]

[Footnote 673: Pike, First Blows of the Civil War, p. 403.]

[Footnote 674: Hollister, Colfax, p. 119.]

[Footnote 675: _Ibid._, p. 121.]

[Footnote 676: Wilson, II, p 567; Greeley, Recollections of a Busy
Life, p. 397.]

[Footnote 677: Hollister, Colfax, p. 120.]

[Footnote 678: Herndon-Weik, Life of Lincoln, II, pp. 59 ff.]

[Footnote 679: Sheahan, Douglas, p. 394.]

[Footnote 680: Foote, Casket of Reminiscences, p. 135.]

[Footnote 681: Forney, Anecdotes, II, p. 179.]

[Footnote 682: Lincoln-Douglas Debates (Edition of 1860), p. 1.]

[Footnote 683: Sheahan, Douglas, pp. 398-400.]

[Footnote 684: Sheahan, Douglas, p. 400; Mr. Horace White in
Herndon-Weik, Life of Lincoln, II, p. 93.]

[Footnote 685: Debat