%397.  Struggle for Freedom in Kansas.%—­We left Kansas in 1856 with a proslavery governor and legislature in actual possession, and a free-state governor, legislature, and senators seeking recognition at Washington.  In 1857 there were so many free-state men in Kansas that they elected an antislavery legislature.  But just before the proslavery men went out of power they made a proslavery constitution,[1] and instead of submitting to the people the question, Will you, or will you not, have this constitution? they submitted the question, Will you have this constitution with or without slavery?  On this the free settlers would not vote, and so it was adopted with slavery.  But when the antislavery legislature met soon after, they ordered the question, Will you, or will you not, have this constitution? to be submitted to the people.  Then the free settlers voted, and it was rejected by a great majority.  Buchanan, however, paid no attention to the action of the free settlers, but sent the Lecompton constitution to Congress and urged it to admit Kansas as a slave state.  But Senator Douglas of Illinois came forward and opposed this, because to force a slave constitution on the people of Kansas, after they had voted against it, was contrary to the doctrine of “popular sovereignty.”  He, with the aid of other Northern Democrats, defeated the attempt, and Kansas remained a territory till 1861.

[Footnote 1:  The convention met at the town of Lecompton; in consequence of which the constitution is known as the “Lecompton constitution.”]

%398.  The Lincoln-Douglas Debates.%—­The term of Douglas as senator from Illinois was to expire on March 4, 1859.  The legislature whose duty it would be to elect his successor was itself to be elected in 1858.  The Democrats, therefore, announced that if they secured a majority of the legislators, they would reelect Douglas.  The Republicans declared that if they secured a majority, they would elect Abraham Lincoln United States senator.  The real question of the campaign thus became, Will the people of Illinois have Stephen A. Douglas or Abraham Lincoln for senator?[1]

[Footnote 1:  The Republican state convention at Springfield, June 16, 1858, “resolved, that Abraham Lincoln is the first and only choice of the Republicans of Illinois for the United States Senate as the successor of Stephen A. Douglas.”]

The speech making opened in June, 1858, when Lincoln addressed the convention that nominated him at Springfield.  A month later Douglas replied in a speech at Chicago.  Lincoln, who was present, answered Douglas the next evening.  A few days later, Douglas, who had taken the stump, replied to Lincoln at Bloomington, and the next day was again answered by Lincoln at Springfield.  The deep interest aroused by this running debate led the Republican managers to insist that Lincoln should challenge Douglas to a series of joint debates in public.  The challenge was sent and accepted, and debates were arranged for at seven towns[1] named by Douglas.  The questions discussed were popular sovereignty, the Dred Scott decision, the extension of slavery to the territories; and the discussion of them attracted the attention of the whole country.  Lincoln was defeated in the senatorial election; but his great speeches won for him a national reputation.[2]