CHAPTER XXII

Because of the gossip concerning Zoe, and the fact that I had killed Lamborn, opposition was made to me as a delegate to the Congressional convention.  I was an alien too; but that did not count.  I was a resident and a large land owner.

Though Douglas was but twenty-four years of age, he was already a giant.  Opposition gave way before him; he stepped on his foes; he brushed tangles aside.  A Mr. May, who was now in Congress, wanted to return.  But he found he could not simply assume the nomination and place the responsibility for the assumption upon the request of “many friends”—­a vague and specious way of covering up his own seizure of the honor.  He had to face the convention system which Douglas had introduced into Illinois politics.  And Douglas had Morgan County, his first home in Illinois, back of him; and Sangamon County, his home since he had gone into the legislature and the Land Office.  Douglas was nominated.

A cry went up.  An experienced Congressman, Mr. May, had been ruthlessly put aside for the sake of an ambitious stripling!  The Whigs rejoiced and said that no nomination than that of Douglas could suit them better.  And the Whigs were powerful enough.  They were coquetting with the Abolitionists; and they stood for the tariff and the bank.  Besides, times were hard.  It had been said that Jackson had set the tide of money scarcity to flowing; Van Buren had increased it.  There were also disgruntled factions because of Douglas’ so-called high-handed tactics in capturing the nomination.

Then to make things worse the Democrats nominated a state ticket upon which two of the candidates had been in the Land Office.  So had Douglas.  Hence the cry:  the Land Office Ticket.  Douglas had made money, therefore down with him!  Only poverty and humility deserved honor.

I not only opened my purse to Douglas, for he was not in fact affluent; but I decided to travel with him in the campaign.  True to his courage and his self-confidence he met his Whig opponent, Major Stuart, face to face in joint debate at Springfield.  I was greatly thrilled with this contest.  Major Stuart was very popular, an old resident, an officer in the Black Hawk War, and a brave one, Reverdy told me.  He was of powerful physique, standing more than six feet, and equal to an arduous campaign.  At Springfield Stuart and Douglas came to blows.  Stuart tucked Douglas’ head under his arm and carried him around the square; meanwhile Douglas bit Stuart’s thumb almost in two.  As a debater and campaigner Douglas was his superior.  He made friends by the hundreds everywhere.  He went down among the gay and volatile Irishmen who were digging the Illinois and Michigan canal, and won them to his cause.  I was with him, watching his methods, marveling at his physical resources, his exhaustless oratory, the aptness and quickness of his logic.