Before many weeks of the campaign had passed, Douglas had ceased to be merely a consultative specialist on party ailments.  Not at all unwillingly, he was drawn into active service.  It was commonly supposed that the Honorable William L. May, who had served a term in Congress acceptably, would again become the nominee of the Democratic party without opposition.  If the old-time practice prevailed, he would quietly assume the nomination “at the request of many friends.”  Still, consistency required that the nomination should be made in due form by a convention.  The Springfield Republican clamored for a convention; and the Jacksonville News echoed the cry.[80] Other Democratic papers took up the cry, until by general agreement a congressional district convention was summoned to meet at Peoria.  The Jacksonville News was then ready with a list of eligible candidates among whom Douglas was mentioned.  At the same time the enterprising Brooks announced “authoritatively” that if Mr. May concluded to become a candidate, he would submit his claims to the consideration of the convention.[81] This was the first intimation that the gentleman’s claims were likely to be contested in the convention.  Meantime, good friends in Sangamon County saw to it that the county delegation was made up of men who were favorably disposed toward Douglas, and bound them by instructions to act as a unit in the convention.[82]

The history of the district convention has never been written:  it needs no historian.  Under the circumstances the outcome was a foregone conclusion.  Not all the counties were represented; some were poorly represented; most of the delegates came without any clearly defined aims; all were unfamiliar with the procedure of conventions.  The Sangamon County delegation alone, with the possible exception of that from Morgan County, knew exactly what it wanted.  When a ballot was taken, Douglas received a majority of votes cast, and was declared to be the regular nominee of the party for Congress.[83]

There was much shaking of heads over this machine-made nomination.  An experienced public servant had been set aside to gratify the ambition of a mere stripling.  Even Democrats commented freely upon the untrustworthiness of a device which left nominations to the caprice of forty delegates representing only fourteen counties out of thirty-five.[84] The Whigs made merry over the folly of their opponents.  “No nomination could suit us better,” declared the Sangamo Journal.[85]

The Democratic State convention met at the appointed time, and again new methods prevailed.  In spite of strong opposition, a slate was made up and proclaimed as the regular ticket of the party.  Unhappily, the nominee for governor fell under suspicion as an alleged defaulter to the government, so that his deposition became imperative.[86] The Democrats were in a sorry plight.  Defeat stared them in the face.  There was but one way to save the situation, and that was to call a second convention.  This was done.  On June 5th, a new ticket was put in the field, without further mention of the discredited nominee of the earlier convention.[87] It so happened that Carlin, the nominee for Governor, and McRoberts, candidate for Congress from the first district, were receivers in land offices.  This “Land Office Ticket” became a fair mark for wags in the Whig party.[88]