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.

The Bloomington convention concluded its work by choosing delegates to the National Republican convention to be held at Philadelphia the following month, for the nomination of candidates for the Presidency and Vice-presidency of the United States.  And thus was organized the Republican party in Illinois, which revolutionized the politics of the State and elected Lincoln to the Presidency.

The people of Bloomington seem to have had but little sympathy with this convention.  A few days later, Herndon and Lincoln tried to hold a ratification meeting; but only three persons were present—­Lincoln, Herndon, and John Pain.  “When Lincoln came into the court-room where the meeting was to be held,” says Herndon, “there was an expression of sadness and amusement on his face.  He walked to the stand, mounted it in a kind of mockery—­mirth and sadness all combined—­and said, ’Gentlemen, this meeting is larger than I thought it would be.  I knew that Herndon and myself would come, but I did not know that anyone else would be here; and yet another has come—­you, John Pain.  These are sad times, and seem out of joint.  All seems dead; but the age is not yet dead; it liveth as sure as our Maker liveth.  Under all this seeming want of life and motion, the world does move nevertheless.  Be hopeful.  And now let us adjourn and appeal to the people.’”

The National convention of the Republican party met at Philadelphia in June, 1856, and adopted a declaration of principles substantially based upon those of the Bloomington convention.  John C. Fremont was nominated as candidate for President.  Among the names presented for Vice-president was that of Abraham Lincoln, who received 110 votes.  William L. Dayton received 259 votes and was unanimously declared the nominee.  Fremont and Dayton thus became the standard-bearers of the new national party.  When the news reached Lincoln, in Illinois, that he had received 110 votes as nominee for the Vice-presidency, he could not at first believe that he was the man voted for, and said, “No, it could not be; it must have been the great Lincoln of Massachusetts!” He was then in one of his melancholy moods, full of depression and despondency.

In the stirring presidential campaign of 1856, Lincoln was particularly active, and rendered most efficient service to the Republican party.  He spoke constantly, discussing the great question of “slavery in the territories” in a manner at once original and masterly.  A graphic picture of one of these campaign gatherings is furnished by Hon. William Bross, afterwards Lieutenant-Governor of Illinois.  “I first met Mr. Lincoln, to know him,” says Governor Bross, “at Vandalia, the old capital of the State, in October, 1856.  There was to be a political