abraham lincoln and the union-第5章
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er was lost among his supporters。
What would the great dying Whig party leave behind it？ This was the really momentous question in 1854。 Briefly； this party bequeathed the temper of political positivism and at the same time the dread of sectionalism。 The inner clue to American politics during the next few years is； to many minds； to be found largely in the union of this old Whig temper with a new…born sectional patriotism； and； to other minds； in the gradual and reluctant passing of the Whig opposition to a sectional party。 But though this transformation of the wrecks of Whiggism began immediately； and while the Kansas…Nebraska Bill was still being hotly debated in Congress； it was not until 1860 that it was completed。
In the meantime various incidents had shown that the sectional patriotism of the North； the fury of the abolitionists； and the positive temper in politics； were all drawing closer together。 Each of these tendencies can be briefly illustrated。 For example； the rush to Kansas had begun； and the Massachusetts Emigrant Aid Society was preparing to assist settlers who were going west。 In May； there occurred at Boston one of the most conspicuous attempts to rescue a fugitive slave； in which a mob led by Thomas Wentworth Higginson attacked the guards of Anthony Burns； a captured fugitive； killed one of them； but failed to get the slave； who was carried to a revenue cutter between lines of soldiers and returned to slavery。 Among numerous details of the hour the burning of Douglas in effigy is perhaps worth passing notice。 In duly the anti…Nebraska men of Michigan held a convention； at which they organized as a political party and nominated a state ticket。 Of their nominees； two had hitherto ranked themselves as Free…Soilers； three as anti…slavery Democrats； and five as Whigs。 For the name of their party they chose 〃Republican；〃 and as the foundation of their platform the resolution 〃That； postponing and suspending all differences with regard to political economy or administrative policy；〃 they would 〃act cordially and faithfully in unison；〃 opposing the extension of slavery； and would 〃cooperate and be known as 'Republicans' until the contest be terminated。〃
The history of the next two years is； in its main outlines； the story of the war in Kansas and of the spread of this new party throughout the North。 It was only by degrees； however； that the Republicans absorbed the various groups of anti…Nebraska men。 What happened at this time in Illinois may be taken as typical； and it is particularly noteworthy as revealing the first real appearance of Abraham Lincoln in American history。
Though in 1854 he was not yet a national figure； Lincoln was locally accredited with keen political insight； and was； regarded in Illinois as a strong lawyer。 The story is told of him that； while he was attending court on the circuit； he heard the news of the Kansas…Nebraska Act in a tavern and sat up most of the night talking about it。 Next morning he used a phrase destined to become famous。 〃I tell you；〃 said he to a fellow lawyer； 〃this nation cannot exist half slave and half free。〃
Lincoln； however； was not one of the first to join the Republicans。 In Illinois； in 1854； Lincoln resigned his seat in the legislature to become the Whig candidate for United States senator； to succeed the Democratic colleague of Douglas。 But there was little chance of his election； for the real contest was between the two wings of the Democrats； the Nebraska men and the anti…Nebraska men； and Lincoln withdrew in favor of the candidate of the latter； who was elected。
During the following year； from the midst of his busy law practice； Lincoln watched the Whig party go to pieces。 He saw a great part of its vote lodge temporarily among the Know…Nothings； but before the end of the year even they began to lose their prominence。 In the autumn； from the obscurity of his provincial life； he saw； far off； Seward； the most astute politician of the day； join the new movement。 In New York； the Republican state convention and the Whig state convention merged into one； and Seward pronounced a baptismal oration upon the Republican party of New York。
In the House of Representatives which met in December； 1855； the anti…Nebraska men were divided among themselves； and the Know…Nothings held the balance of power。 No candidate for the speakership； however； was able to command a majority； and finally； after it had been agreed that a plurality would be sufficient； the contest closed； on the one hundred and thirty…third ballot； with the election of a Republican； N。 P。 Banks。 Meanwhile in the South； the Whigs were rapidly leaving the party； pausing a moment with the Know…Nothings； only to find that their inevitable resting…place； under stress of sectional feeling； was with the Democrats。
On Washington's birthday； 1856； the Know…Nothing national convention met at Philadelphia。 It promptly split upon the subject of slavery； and a portion of its membership sent word offering support to another convention which was sitting at Pittsburgh； and which had been called to form a national organization for the Republican party。 A third assembly held on this same day was composed of the newspaper editors of Illinois； and may be looked upon as the organization of the Republican party in that state。 At the dinner following this informal convention； Lincoln； who was one of the speakers； was toasted as 〃the next United States Senator。〃
Some four months afterward； in Philadelphia； the Republicans held their first national convention。 Only a few years previous its members had called themselves by various namesDemocrats； Free…Soilers； Know…Nothings； Whigs。 The old hostilities of these different groups had not yet died out。 Consequently； though Seward was far and away the most eminent member of the new party； he was not nominated for President。 That dangerous honor was bestowed upon a dashing soldier and explorer of the Rocky Mountains and the Far West； John C。 Fremont。*
*For an account of Fremont； see Stewart Edward White； 〃The Forty…Niners〃 （in 〃The Chronicles of America〃）； Chapter II。
The key to the political situation in the North； during that momentous year； was to be found in the great number of able Whigs who； seeing that their own party was lost but refusing to be sidetracked by the make…believe issue of the Know…Nothings； were now hesitating what to do。 Though the ordinary politicians among the Republicans doubtless wished to conciliate these unattached Whigs； the astuteness of the leaders was too great to allow them to succumb to that temptation。 They seem to have feared the possible effect of immediately incorporating in their ranks； while their new organization was still so plastic； the bulk of those conservative classes which were； after all； the backbone of this irreducible Whig minimum。
The Republican campaign was conducted with a degree of passion that had scarcely been equaled in America before that day。 To the well…ordered spirit of the conservative classes the tone which the Republicans assumed appeared shocking。 Boldly sectional in their language； sweeping in their denunciation of slavery； the leaders of the campaign made bitter and effective use of a number of recent events。 〃Uncle Tom's Cabin〃； published in 1852； and already immensely popular； was used as a political tract to arouse； by its gruesome picture of slavery； a hatred of slaveholders。 Returned settlers from Kansas went about the North telling horrible stories of guerrilla warfare； so colored as to throw the odium all on one side。 The scandal of the moment was the attack made by Preston Brooks on Sumner； after the latter's furious diatribe in the Senate； which was published as 〃The Crime Against Kansas〃。 With double skill the Republicans made equal capital out of the intellectual violence of the speech and the physical violence of the retort。 In addition to this； there was ready to their hands the evidence of Southern and Democratic sympathy with a filibustering attempt to conquer the republic of Nicaragua； where William Walker； an American adventurer； had recently made himself dictator。 Walker had succeeded in having his minister acknowledged by the Democratic
