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ln was elected； the Southern States would be justified in seceding from the Union？
To this he said； 〃I answer emphatically； No！ The election of a man to the Presidency * * * in conformity with the Constitution * * * would not justify any attempt at dissolving this glorious Confederacy。〃
He further told them that if Lincoln were elected he would aid him to the extent of his power in maintaining the supremacy of the laws against all resistance to them from whatever quarter； and that it would be the President's duty to treat all attempts to break up the Union as Jackson treated the nullifiers in 1832。 His candidacy was obviously hopeless。 He exerted himself to avert the coming storm。 Lincoln received one million eight hundred and sixty…seven thousand votes； Douglas one million two hundred and ninety…one thousand； and Brekenridge eight hundred and fifty thousand。 Of the three hundred and three electoral votes Douglas received but twelve。 Lincoln had an electoral majority over all opposing candidates。
On the 13th of November； South Carolina called a Convention to consider the dangers incident to her position in the Federal Union which； on December 20th； unanimously adopted an ordinance of secession。 Three weeks later Mississippi declared herself out of the Union and was promptly followed by Florida； Alabama and Georgia。 By the 20th of May eleven States had seceded。 The President looked on it as a lawsuit between the States and exhausted his very respectable legal learning and ingenuity in proving that he had no power to raise his hand in defense of the country。 It may be that the lawyer； with his quiddits and quillets； had survived the man。 It may be that he had so long breathed the atmosphere of treason in the Cabinet counsels that he was tinctured with the widely prevalent pestilence。 It is much more likely that the timorous old man； finding his term of office ending amid universal ruin； his friends and masters rushing into mad rebellion against his Government； weakly adopted that famous sentiment of the French King： 〃It will outlast my time。〃
Congress met on the third of December。 In his message the President charged the entire trouble to the aggressive anti…slavery activity of the North； which had at last driven the South to open rebellion。 He protested that he was powerless to act and referred the whole matter to Congress。 Three of the Cabinet were serving the enemy and many seats in the House and Senate were held by unblushing traitors。 The forts in Charleston harbor were besieged by South Carolina。 The Government at first dared not and later could not relieve them。
Congress； if not as completely palsied as the President； was without remedy for the fearful evils of the time。 Besides its quota of positive traitors； many of its members were infected with the mild； moonshiny political philosophy which had been currently in Washington for a quarter of a century。 Many were about to retire to private life； and； like Buchanan； thought the Government would outlast their time。 A famous Senate Committee of Thirteen； and a corresponding House Committee of Thirty…three； were appointed to consider the state of the Nation； both of which toiled much and accomplished nothing。
The Committee of Thirteen reported late in December that it was unable to agree； and on January 3rd Douglas addressed the Senate upon this report。 He reviewed at great length the history of slavery legislation and drew from it all the conclusion that the trouble had arisen from unwarrantable interference in the local affairs of the Territories； and that； had popular sovereignty been given a chance it would have solved the problem long since and would do it yet if fairly tried。 He ascribed the trouble to the pernicious agitation of the Republicans； and recalled Lincoln's most radical anti…slavery utterances in the famous campaign of 1858。 He assured the people of the South that Lincoln would be powerless to hurt them if they remained in the Union； for there would be a majority against him in both the Houses of Congress。 He denied utterly the right of South Carolina to secede and repudiate its constitutional duties； and insisted on the right of the Federal Government to enforce the law in all of the States。 Yet； while there was a ray of hope； war must not be resorted to。
〃In my opinion；〃 he continued； 〃war is disunion； certain； inevitable； and irrevocable。 * * * We have reached a point where disunion is inevitable unless some compromise； founded upon mutual concession； can be made。 I prefer compromise to war。 I prefer concession to a dissolution of the Union。〃
He asked the Republicans to consent to the reestablishment of the Missouri Compromise line； which he had swept away six years before amid their earnest protestations。 He also proposed to establish popular sovereignty by constitutional amendment； such sovereignty to begin when a Territory had 50；000 inhabitants； and； by another amendment； to prohibit future acquisition of territory without a concurrent vote of two…thirds of each House of Congress。 His purpose； he said； was not to settle the slavery question； but to expel slavery agitation from the arena of Federal politics forever。
This was his last important speech in the Senate。 It was delivered under circumstances of awful solemnity。 He seemed not deeply impressed with the gravity of the situation and was still interested in it chiefly as a party problem。 He did not expect the baptism of blood that followed； but cheerfully looked forward to compromise and reconciliation。 The Northern Democrats might yet rescue the country by mediating a truce between radical Republicans and radical Southern Democrats。 In the present state of affairs who； but himself； the chief of these neutrals； could lead this great movement？ His mental habits were those of the politician。 He saw all event primarily in their relation to party tactics。 Now that the earth began to rock beneath his feet； he suspected that it was only a theatrical earthquake and prepared to seize upon every advantage that might be gathered out of the confusion。 He could not comprehend the deep and unappeasable passions that rent the Nation。 The grim earnestness of his fellow…countrymen was as inconceivable to him as the demoniac enthusiasm of the great Apostle was to the scoffing Athenians who heard him on the Hill of Mars。 But； as the great tragedy deepened and darkened； he quit his political speculations and began to think； not of the success of his party； but of the possibility of saving the Union from imminent wreck。
He returned to Illinois and addressed the legislature； urging energetic support of the war； and on May 1st was welcomed back to Chicago by an immense assembly of all parties。 He was escorted to the great hall in which Lincoln had been nominated and there addressed the people。 He spoke not as a politician but as a generous patriot。 He denounced in unmeasured terms the Southern conspiracy which had resulted in secession and now had ripened into open and bloody rebellion。 He saw the treason of the South no longer as a mere element in an interesting political game； but as the blackest of human crimes and an awful menace to the life of the Republic。
〃There are only two sides to the question；〃 he said。 〃Every man must be for the United States or against it。 There can be no neutrals in this war； only patriots or traitors。 * * * It is a sad task to discuss questions so fearful as civil war； but sad as it is； bloody and disastrous as I expect it will be； I express it as my conviction before God that it is the duty of every American citizen to rally around the flag of his country。〃
Not long after his return home he was stricken with serious sickness。 The disease was not of such a character that it was expected to prove fatal； but the highest medical skill and most tender nursing were unavailing。 The truth was； although unsuspected； that his vital energies were completely exhausted by the enormous labors and deep agitations of the past ten years。 He had just passed his 48th birthday but was already gray and prematurely old。 He had dwelt amid the tempest for twenty years and had felt more of severe strain than most men who had seen the Psalmist's three score years and ten。 When told that his end was near； and asked what message he would send to his boys：
〃Tell them；〃 he said； 〃to obey the laws and support the Constitution of the United States。〃
On the morning of June 3rd he died。 His remains lie buried in Chicago on the shore of Lake Michigan； a spot fitly chosen as the last resting place of this most ceaselessly active and inexhaustibly resourceful of American statesmen。
History has not been kind to Douglas。 The farther we recede from events the more trivial seem the temporary circumstances which influence them and the clearer appear the changeless principles which ought to mold men's conduct。 But to the eager； impetuous man of action； the temporary circumstances are apt to be of overmastering force。 He was a practical man of action； whose course was generally guided by the accidental circumstances of the hour； rather than by fixed principles。 His education was defective。 He entered the great arena with little of either menta