It is unnecessary to follow in any detail the labours by which he became a great leader in Illinois.  It may suffice to pick out two instances that illustrate the ways of this astute, unselfish man.  The first is very trifling and shows him merely astute.  A Springfield newspaper called the Conservative was acquiring too much influence as the organ of moderate and decent opinion that acquiesced in the extension of negro slavery.  The Abolitionist, Mr. Herndon, was a friend of the editor.  One day he showed Lincoln an article in a Southern paper which most boldly justified slavery whether the slaves were black or white.  Lincoln observed what a good thing it would be if the pro-slavery papers of Illinois could be led to go this length.  Herndon ingeniously used his acquaintance with the editor to procure that he should reprint this article with approval.  Of course that promising journalistic venture, the Conservative, was at once ruined by so gross an indiscretion.  This was hard on its confiding editor, and it is not to Lincoln’s credit that he suggested or connived at this trick.  But this trumpery tale happens to be a fair illustration of two things.  In the first place a large part of Lincoln’s activity went in the industrious and watchful performance of services to his cause, very seldom as questionable but constantly as minute as this, and in making himself as in this case confidant and adviser to a number of less notable workers.  In the second place a biographer must set forth if he can the materials for the severest judgment on his subject, and in the case of a man whose fame was built on his honesty, but who certainly had an aptitude for ingenious tricks and took a humorous delight in them, this duty might involve a tedious examination of many unimportant incidents.  It may save such discussion hereafter to say, as can safely be said upon a study of all the transactions in his life of which the circumstances are known, that this trick on the editor of the Conservative marks the limit of Lincoln’s deviation from the straight path.  Most of us might be very glad if we had really never done anything much more dishonest.

Our second tale of this period is much more memorable.  In 1856 the term of office of one of the Senators for Illinois came to an end; and there was a chance of electing an opponent of Douglas.  Those of the Republicans of Illinois who were former Whigs desired the election of Lincoln, but could only secure it by the adhesion of a sufficient number of former Democrats and waverers.  United States Senators were elected by the Legislatures of their own States through a procedure similar to that of the Conclave of Cardinals which elects a Pope; if there were several candidates and no one of them had an absolute majority of the votes first cast, the candidate with most votes was not elected; the voting was repeated, perhaps many times, till some one had an absolute majority; the final result was brought about by a transfer of