had ever disputed that right?  But Lincoln, evidently troubled by Douglas’s vehement deductions from the house-divided-against-itself proposition, soon fell back upon the defensive, where he was at a great disadvantage.  He was forced to explain that he did not favor a war by the North upon the South for the extinction of slavery; nor a war by the South upon the North for the nationalization of slavery.  “I only said what I expected would take place.  I made a prediction only,—­it may have been a foolish one, perhaps.  I did not even say that I desired that slavery should be put in course of ultimate extinction.  I do say so now, however."[689] He believed that slavery had endured, because until the Nebraska Act the public mind had rested in the conviction that slavery would ultimately disappear.  In affirming that the opponents of slavery would arrest its further extension, he only meant to say that they would put it where the fathers originally placed it.  He was not in favor of interfering with slavery where it existed in the States.  As to the charge that he was inviting people to resist the Dred Scott decision, Lincoln responded rather weakly—­again laying himself open to attack—­“We mean to do what we can to have the court decide the other way."[690]

Lincoln also betrayed his fear lest Douglas should draw Republican votes.  Knowing the strong anti-slavery sentiment of the region, he asked when Douglas had shown anything but indifference on the subject of slavery.  Away with this quibbling about inferior races!  “Let us discard all these things and unite as one people throughout this land, until we shall once more stand up declaring that all men are created equal."[691]

From Chicago Douglas journeyed like a conquering hero to Bloomington.  At every station crowds gathered to see his gaily decorated train and to catch a glimpse of the famous senator.  A platform car bearing a twelve-pound gun was attached to the train and everywhere “popular sovereignty,” as the cannon was dubbed, heralded his arrival.[692] On the evening of July 16th he addressed a large gathering in the open air; and again he had among his auditors, Abraham Lincoln, who was hot upon his trail.[693] The county and district in which Bloomington was situated had once been strongly Whig; but was now as strongly Republican.  With the local conditions in mind, Douglas made an artful plea for support.  He gratefully acknowledged the aid of the Republicans in the recent anti-Lecompton fight, and of that worthy successor of the immortal Clay, John J. Crittenden of Kentucky.  After all, was it not a common principle for which they had been contending?  “My friends,” said Douglas with engaging ingenuousness, “when I am battling for a great principle, I want aid and support from whatever quarter I can get it.”  Pity, then, that Republican politicians, in order to defeat him, should form an alliance with Lecompton men and thus betray the cause![694]