CHAPTER XII

A Year of Waiting and Trial—­Again Defeated for the Senate—­Depression and Neglect—­Lincoln Enlarging His Boundaries—­On the Stump in Ohio—­A Speech to Kentuckians—­Second Visit to Cincinnati—­A Short Trip to Kansas—­Lincoln in New York City—­The Famous Cooper Institute Speech—­A Strong and Favorable Impression—­Visits New England—­Secret of Lincoln’s Success as an Orator—­Back to Springfield—­Disposing of a Campaign Slander—­Lincoln’s Account of His Visit to a Five Points Sunday School.

On the 2d of November, 1858, the State election was held in Illinois.  The chief significance of this election was due to the fact that the Legislature then chosen would decide whether Douglas or Lincoln should be sent to the Senate at Washington.  The result showed that Lincoln had, by his hard efforts, won a victory for his cause and for his party, but not for himself.  The Republican State ticket was elected by a majority of about 4,000 votes; but in the Legislature a number of members held over from the election of two years before, and the Republican gains, though considerable, were not quite sufficient to overcome this adverse element.  When the Legislature met, Douglas was re-elected to the Senate by a small majority.  It is said that Lincoln was deeply grieved by his defeat.  When some one inquired of him how he felt over the result, he answered that he felt “like the boy that stubbed his toe,—­’it hurt too bad to laugh, and he was too big to cry!’”

A few days after his return to Springfield, there was pressed on the attention of the defeated candidate a matter which must have been peculiarly unwelcome at the time, but which was accepted with habitual fortitude.  What this matter was is revealed in the following letter: 

     SPRINGFIELD, NOV. 16, 1858.

HON.  N.B.  JUDD—­My Dear Sir:—­Yours of the 15th is just received.  I wrote you the same day.  As to the pecuniary matter, I am willing to pay according to my ability, but I am the poorest hand living to get others to pay.  I have been on expense so long, without earning anything, that I am absolutely without money now for even household expenses.  Still, if you can put in two hundred and fifty dollars for me towards discharging the debt of the committee, I will allow it when you and I settle the private matter between us.  This, with what I have already paid with an outstanding note of mine, will exceed my subscription of five hundred dollars.  This, too, is exclusive of my ordinary expenses during the campaign, all of which, being added to my loss of time and business, bears pretty heavily upon one no better off than I am.  But as I had the post of honor, it is not for me to be over-nice.

     You are feeling badly. And this, too, shall pass away; never
     fear.

     Yours as ever,
     A. LINCOLN.