By none was this free, neighborly intercourse enjoyed more than by the old-time settlers of Sangamon and the adjoining counties, who came to revive the incidents and memories of pioneer days with one who could give them such thorough and appreciative interest and sympathy.  He employed no literary bureau, wrote no public letters, made no set or impromptu speeches, except that once or twice during great political meetings at Springfield he uttered a few words of greeting and thanks to passing street processions.  All these devices of propagandism he left to the leaders and committees of his adherents in their several States.  Even the strictly confidential letters in which he indicated his advice on points in the progress of the campaign did not exceed a dozen in number; and when politicians came to interview him at Springfield, he received them in the privacy of his own home, and generally their presence created little or no public notice.  Cautious politician as he was, he did not permit himself to indulge in any over-confidence, but then, as always before, showed unusual skill in estimating political chances.  Thus he wrote about a week after the Chicago convention: 

“So far as I can learn, the nominations start well everywhere; and, if they get no backset, it would seem as if they are going through.”

Again, on July 4: 

“Long before this you have learned who was nominated at Chicago.  We know not what a day may bring forth, but to-day it looks as if the Chicago ticket will be elected.”

And on September 22, to a friend in Oregon: 

“No one on this side of the mountains pretends that any ticket can be elected by the people, unless it be ours.  Hence, great efforts to combine against us are being made, which, however, as yet have not had much success Besides what we see in the newspapers, I have a good deal of private correspondence; and, without giving details, I will only say it all looks very favorable to our success.”

His judgment was abundantly verified at the presidential election, which occurred upon November 6, 1860.  Lincoln electors were chosen in every one of the free States except New Jersey, where, as has already been stated, three Douglas electors received majorities because their names were on both the fusion ticket and the straight Douglas ticket; while the other four Republican electors in that State succeeded.  Of the slave States, eleven chose Breckinridge electors, three of them Bell electors, and one of them—­Missouri—­Douglas electors.  As provided by law, the electors met in their several States on December 5, to officially cast their votes, and on February 13, 1861, Congress in joint session of the two Houses made the official count as follows:  for Lincoln, one hundred and eighty; for Breckinridge, seventy-two; for Bell, thirty-nine; and for Douglas, twelve; giving Lincoln a clear majority of fifty-seven in the whole electoral college.  Thereupon Breckinridge, who presided over the joint session, officially declared that Abraham Lincoln was duly elected President of the United States for four years, beginning March 4, 1861.