of as a set-to between "Sam" and "Sambo." At Philadelphia "Sam" carried the day, but the victory was dear as defeat. The terms of reproach applied to the party were Hindoos or Thugs, the latter an association of robbers and murderers of India. This, from the fact that its course was marked by riots and the destruction of life and property. These, it will be remembered, were fearful in the years 1854-5 in many of our large cities-Baltimore, Louisville, St. Louis, Cincinnati and other places.

It is well that such organizations, from the condition of enlightened society, must ever prove short-lived, as did this. Their tendency is to diffuse distrust, suspicion, hatred, insincerity; they disturb the order and quiet of society, poison confidence, and eventuate in mobs and crimes. This order taught men to think lightly of the principles of liberty as set forth in the Declaration of Independence, and of treason by administering oaths in violation of the constitution; it profaned religion by appeals to the weak prejudices of bigotry and fanaticism; and planted the seeds of riot, arson and blood-shed, by arraying the people of one race or nationality in deadly hostility against the other. Its name

should be anathema.

During the year 1855 the republican organization gave renewed evidences of vitality and increasing strength. In Ohio, Mr. Chase was elected by a large majority. The democracy of Illinois felt impelled to look to their position, and immediately after began to prepare for the great contest, nearly a year ahead. A stirring address, dated December 1, 1855, was issued by the State general committee, of which the Hon. J. A. McClernand was chairman, directing the appointment of delegates to the State democratic convention, to be held at Springfield, May 1st, 1856. A portion of the address, which, by its terse, argumentative diction, reveals the author in the chairman of the committee, is here quoted, as portraying in a manner the intense and acrimonious party feeling of that day:

"The malcontents, the intolerants, and the religious bigots of the country, have determined upon making a desperate effort to seize the reins of government. Their only wish and hope is to excite popular passion and upon it ride into office and power. They have raised their black flag, with "Abolition" upon the one side, and "Disunion" upon the other, surmounted with the know nothing death's head and cross bones, and with hideous outcries are rallying their motley forces for the coming struggle. They pretend to be the peculiar friend of the negro, while they would make slaves of white men; they pretend to be the friends of freedom, yet murder men for exercising a plain constitutional right; they pretend to love liberty, while they denounce the constitution as a league with hell ;' they make loud professions of policy while they persecute others for difference of religious opinions, and slander and belie all who entertain sentiments differint from their own. One day they profess to be charmed by that rich Irish brogue and that sweet German accent,'* and the next they shoot down, burn and murder men, women and children for not being born in the same country as themselves; they illustrate their principle of 'Americans ruling America' by mobbing the elections, breaking up the ballot boxes, and destroying the votes; they urge their own will as higher than the constitution, while they deny to the people of the territories the right to have any will at all; they seek to revolutionize government by violence when its acts conflict with their own; they resist the constitutional acts of congress by armed mobs, which is treason by the law. Devoid of po*Gen. Scott's speech while a candidate for president.

litical principle themselves, they are for fusion with men of every shade of political principle, and men of no political principle, so they can 'vote a vote,' and add strength to their political organization. In bold contrast and aloof from all this confusion stands the democratic party."*

The convention met according to the time and place designated, and nominated the Hon. W. A. Richardson, of Adams, as their candidate for governor, on the 3d ballot; the old treasurer, John Moore, being his strongest opponent, and leading him on the first ballot 23 votes. The nomination of Richardson was not unexpected. It was foreshadowed by a little circumstance that took place the preceding summer. A company of Chicago militia made Senator Douglas a complimentary visit at his residence on the lake shore, below the city, and during the afternoon's entertainment, in their hilarity, nominated Col. Richardson for gover nor. He, more than perhaps any other member from the free States had proven himself the firm and reliable friend and supporter of the senator in the passage of the Kansas-Nebraaka bill through the lower house of congress. The fusion press, which constantly taunted the democracy with the dictatorship of Doug. las, took this circumstance of a social occasion and settled upon Richardson as the candidate with whom the State convention had nothing else to do but to confirm; in which they proved to be correct. Col. R. J. Hamilton, of Cook, was nominated for lieutenant governor; W. H. Snyder, of St. Clair, for secretary of state; honest John Moore, of McLean, the old incumbent, again for treasurer; Samuel K. Casey, of Jefferson, for auditor, and J. H. St. Matthew, of Tazewell, for superintendent of public schools.

In the platform the convention affirmed that congress had no rightful authority to establish, abolish or prohibit slavery in the States or territories; approved non-intervention and popular sov ereignty, the compromise of 1850, and declared that the restoration of the Missouri restriction would be a flagrant violation of the constitution and the principles of self-government; asserted the national right of all men to religious freedom, declaring their opposition to proscription of foreign born citizens; and instructed the delegates to the Cincinnati national democraticconvention to vote for Stephen A. Douglas for president.

During all this time, it may well be imagined, the leaders of the new party, which had met with unexpected success in 1854-5, were not idle. While they were sanguine, they were also cautious in taking extreme or advanced anti-slavery ground. They sought to form a coalition of all the various factions, odds and ends outside of the democratic party opposed to the Nebraska measure, with a view rather rather to success than the espousal of radical principles. The democracy characterized this coalition as the "speckled progeny of many conjunctions." But success, it was well reasoned, would do more to confirm lukewarm friends than unanswerable arguments. In this connection we quote the apt language of the Chicago Tribune at the time:

"THE BLOOMINGTON CONVENTION.-Only two weeks will intervene between the present time and the day fixed for holding the anti-Nebraska State convention at Bloomington. But, though the time is short, we wish to correct one misapprehension that has gone abroad in relation to the proposed gathering. It is this: that the convention is to be exclusive

*See Ill. Reg., Dec. 4, 1855.

ly republican. Such is not the case. The republicans, so far as we are informed, consent to be represented there purely as anti-Nebraska men, and if there is anything in their political creed, which points to more radical measures than old line whigs and anti-Nebraska democrats can consent to, they have expressed their willingness, without dissent, to put such things in abeyance, and unite upon the platform upon which all northern men, who are not avowedly pro-slavery, ought to stand. As one of the organs of republican opinion, we have no hesitation in saying that we advise our friends throughout the State to such a course of action. We say further, that we know of no man who is identified with the republican party who desires or would accept a nomination from the convention, for any place whatever. The republicans of the north wish to testify their sincerity by taking the places of privates in the ranks, reserving the right to do battle wherever the fight is fiercest. They expect that the nominee for governor will possibly be a man who differs with them upon some matters connected with national politics, but they do not demand uniformity of belief-do not expect it. We know not who may be on the ticket with Col. Bissell, and we do not care what they are called, or what may be their political antecedents, so that they are men of personal and political integrity, who may be depended upon to carry out the views that they will announce. The republicans ask nothing."

On the 22d of February, 1856, an anti-Nebraska editorial convention had met at Decatur, with Paul Selby as chairman, and W. J. Usrey as secretary, which gave a free airing to its political views, both State and national, as editors are wont to do. They demanded, in a set of resolutions, the restoration of the Missouri compromise; opposed the demands of slavery for territorial expansion as inconsistent with freedom; declared there was an urgent demand for reform in the State administration; stood to the free school system; and asked all who concurred in their views of national questions to drop all party differences upon other issues and unite in a common effort to give these practical effect. For this purpose they recommended a delegate State convention to be held Thursday, May 29, at Bloomington. They designated a State central committee, one from each congressional district, to make the call, fix the ratio of representation, and take such other steps as would secure a full representation from all parts of the State. We name the committee in the order of the number of their respective districts: W. B. Ogden, Chicago; S. M. Church, Rockfort; G. A. D. Parks, Joliet; T. J. Prickett, Peoria; E. A. Dudley, Quincy; Wm. H. Herndon, Springfield; R. J. Oglesby, Decatur; Joseph Gillespie, Edwardsville; D. L. Phillips, Jonesboro. Gov. Koerner and Ira O. Wilkinson were designated for the State at large.

Accordingly the republican State convention of 1856, met at Bloomington, in Major's Hall, May 29th. Out of the 101 counties nearly one-third were unrepresented, namely: Alexander, Pulaski, Massac, Johnson, Pope, Hardin, Saline, Gallatin, Hamilton, White, Wayne, Wabash, Clay, Crawford, Jasper, Effingham, Cumberland, Clark, Douglas, Fayette, Shelby, Brown, Jefferson, Franklin, Williamson, Jackson, Perry and Monroe, nearly all in the southern part of the State. The Hon. John M. Palmer of Macoupin, was chosen permanent chairman. The following were chosen as vice presidents: J. A. Davis of Stephenson, Wm. Ross of Pike, James McKee of Cook, J. H. Bryant of Bureau, A. C. Harding of Warren, Richard Yates of Morgan, H. O. Jones of Piatt, D. L. Phillips of Union, Geo. Smith of Madison, J. H. Marshall of Coles,

J. M. Ruggles of Mason, G. A. D. Parks of Will, John Clark of Schuyler. Secretaries: H. S. Baker of Madison, C. L. Wilson of Cook, John Tilson of Adams, W. Bushnell of LaSalle, B. J. F. Hanna of Randolph.

The nom

The proceedings of the convention were harmonious. ination of the Hon. W. H. Bissell of St. Clair, who was simply an anti-Nebraska democrat, had been generally agreed upon before the convention met, by the press and people. The Belleville Advocate had first brought forward his name in connection with this office, in March preceding, which was shortly seconded by the opposition press generally and in meetings of the people. He was very popular, but his health had been impaired by paralysis of his lower extremities and there was apprehension as to his ability to make a vigorous canvass. But in a letter to Geo. T. Brown of Alton, dated May 24, he wrote that he was recovering from his infirmity, and hoped for entire restoration; that his general health and capacity for business were as good as ever; and while he might not be able to engage in an active canvass he would not decline the nomination if tendered him. After the reading of this letter to the convention, public expectation was confirmed by his unanimous nomination. Francis Hoffman of DuPage, a German, was also unanimously nominated for lieutenant governor.* O. M. Hatch of Pike, was nominated for secretary of State, the Hon. Jesse K. Dubois of Lawrence, for auditor, and James Miller of McLean, for treasurer. These last named gentlemen were charged with being members of the know-nothing order, which was doubtless the fact; that the two former had attended every State council of that order since its organization, and been delegates and prominent leaders in its late State convention held at Springfield on the 6th inst.t At the same know-nothing convention, we have seen that Mr. Miller had been houored with the nomination for the same place on the ticket at Bloomington. But to the nominating committee at the latter place he stated that he had not nor did not intend to accept the place on the know-nothing ticket. W. H. Powell of Peoria, was nominated for superintendent of public instruction. These latter names were selected by a committee of 9, one from each congressional district, appointed by the chair. They were: S. W. Lawrence, Cyrus Alden, W. W. Orme, J. D. Arnold, A. Williams, A. Lincoln, T. A. Marshall, Thos. McCluken and Ben. T. Wiley, named in the order of their respective districts. The candidates selected by them were confirmed by the convention. The following is the platform adopted:

Resolved, That foregoing all former differences of opinion upon other questions, we pledge ourselves to unite in opposition to the present administration and to the party which upholds and supports it, and to use all honorable and constitutional means to wrest the government from the unworthy hands which now control it and to bring it back in its administration to the principles and practices of Washington, Jefferson, and their great and good compatriots of the revolution

Resolved, That we hold, in accordance with the opinions and practices of all the great statesmen of all parties, for the first 60 years of the administration of the government,

This gentleman found during the canvass that he was ineligible for that office-not having been naturalized 14 years, a qualification prescribed by the constitution, and he resigned his place on the ticket. The convention subsequently met again and substituted the name of John Wood of Adams, an old whig. B 8. Edwards, at the same time, received 20 votes, Dr. Egan 17, J. M. Ruggles 10, Joseph Seiffiger 8, S. M. Church 11, and Leonard Swett, 8.

+We have it from undoubted authority that the candidate for auditor not only refused to come into the convention but cursed it for its abolitionism while he accepted the place upon its ticket.

that under the constitution congress possesses the power to prohibit slavery in the territories; and that whilst we will maintain all constitutional rights of the south, we also hold that justice, humanity, the principles of freedom as expressed in our declaration of independence, and our national constitution and the purity and perpetuity of our government require that that power should be exerted to prevent the extension of slavery into territories heretofore free.

Resolved, That the repeal of the Missouri compromise was unwise, unjust, and injurious; an open and aggravated violation of the plighted faith of the States, and that the attempt of the present administration to force slavery into Kansas against the known wishes of the legal voters of that territory, is an arbitrary and tyrannous violation of the rights of the people to govern themselves, and that we will strive by all constitutional means to secure to Kansas and Nebraska the legal guaranty against slavery of which they were deprived at the cost of the violation of the plighted faith of the nation.

Resolved, That we are devoted to the union and will, to the last extremity, defend it against the efforts now being made by the disunionists of this administration to compass its dissolution, and that we will support the constitution of the United States in all its provisions, regarding it as the sacred bond of our union, and the only safeguard for the preservation of the rights of ourselves and our posterity.

Resolved, That we are in favor of the immediate admission of Kansas as a member of this confederacy, under the constitution adopted by the people of said territory. Resolved, That the spirit of our institutions as well as the constitution of our country, guaranties the liberty of conscience as well as political freedom, and that we will proscribe no one, by legislation or otherwise, on account of religious opinions, or in consequence of place of birth."

Resolutions approving of the course of Senator Trumbull, and condemning that of Senator Douglas were also adopted; one by Mr. Wentworth, in favor of an economical administration of the affairs of the State; and one by O. H. Browning, that the proceedings of the convention be signed by all the officers, and published. The State central committee appointed consisted of J. C. Conkling of Sangamon, Asabel Gridley of McLean, B. C. Cook of LaSalle, and C. H. Ray and N. B. Judd of Cook.

It will be observed that the platform omits to demand the repeal of the fugitive slave law, omits to assert the right of trial by jury for the captured slave, and omits to claim the writ of habeas corpus in his behalf; nor is the institution of slavery denounced as the sum of all villainies. The Hon. Owen Lovejoy, an original abolitionist, who had vainly endeavored in the legislature, in 1855, to commit the new party to a declaration against the admission of more slave States into the Union and in favor of the repeal of the fugitive slave law, which, by the way, received a large vote in that body at the time, now in the convention strove to have a plank inserted in the platform which would reflect a more advanced position for the party, but was defeated. But with a keen insight into the future, he observed that while he would like to have inoculated them with the virus more thoroughly at the time, he didn't care much; for having been exposed to the infection they would all take the disease in the natural way, and break out all over with it before the campaign was ended anyhow-which was the case.

The personnel of the republican ticket thus made showed that the Chicago Tribune, bespeaking for advanced republicanism a subordinate part-the post of honor as privates in the battlewas taken at its words, for not a pure and simple republican received a place on the ticket. It was a coalition which the republicans were content to support with the hope of future reward. They did not reckon without their host. Success, the touchstone of all human undertakings, attended them, and cemented all these various elements into one great and homogeneous party, leading to the most radical results. With success, all the halting, the timid and the doubting ones, now perhaps beholding the reward of office in the future, became immediately the most pronounced and unyielding, if not radical, partisans.