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called the party of political evasion。 It was a huge； loose confederacy of differing political groups； embracing paupers and millionaires； moderate anti…slavery men and slave barons； all of whom were held together by the unreliable bond of an agreement not to tread on each other's toes。
Of this party Douglas was the typical representative； both in strength and weakness。 He had all its pliability； its good humor； its broad and easy way with things； its passion for playing politics。 Nevertheless； in calling upon the believers in political evasion to consent for this once to reverse their principle and to endorse a positive action； he had taken a great risk。 Would their sporting sense of politics as a gigantic game carry him through successfully？ He knew that there was a hard fight before him； but with the courage of a great political strategist； and proudly confident in his hold upon the main body of his party； he prepared for both the attacks and the defections that were inevitable。
Defections； indeed； began at once。 Even before the bill had been passed； the 〃Appeal of the Independent Democrats〃 was printed in a New York paper； with the signatures of members of Congress representing both the extreme anti…slavery wing of the Democrats and the organized Free…Soil party。 The most famous of these names were those of Chase and Sumner； both of whom had been sent to the Senate by a coalition of Free…Soilers and Democrats。 With them was the veteran abolitionist； Giddings of Ohio。 The 〃Appeal〃 denounced Douglas as an 〃unscrupulous politician〃 and sounded both the warcries of the Northern masses by accusing him of being engaged in 〃an atrocious plot to exclude from a vast unoccupied region immigrants from the Old World and free laborers from our own States。〃
The events of the spring and summer of 1854 may all be grouped under two headsthe formation of an antiNebraska party； and the quick rush of sectional patriotism to seize the territory laid open by the Kansas…Nebraska Act。 The instantaneous refusal of the Northerners to confine their settlement to Nebraska； and their prompt invasion of Kansas； the similar invasion from the South； the support of both movements by societies organized for that purpose； the war in Kansas all the details of this thrilling story have been told elsewhere。* The political story alone concerns us here。
*See Jesse Macy； 〃The Anti…Slavery Crusade〃。 （In 〃The Chronicles of America〃。）
When the fight began there were four parties in the field： the Democrats； the Whigs； the Free…Soilers； and the Know…Nothings。
The Free…Soil party； hitherto a small organization； had sought to make slavery the main issue in politics。 Its watchword was 〃Free soil； free speech； free labor； and free men。〃 It is needless to add that it was instantaneous in its opposition to the Kansas…Nebraska Act。
The Whigs at the moment enjoyed the greatest prestige； owing to the association with them of such distinguished leaders as Webster and Clay。 In 1854； however； as a party they were dying； and the very condition that had made success possible for the Democrats made it impossible for the Whigs； because the latter stood for positive ideas； and aimed to be national in reality and not in the evasive Democratic sense of the term。 For； as a matter of fact； on analysis all the greater issues of the day proved to be sectional。 The Whigs would not； like the Democrats； adopt a negative attitude toward these issues； nor would they consent to become merely sectional。 Yet at the moment negation and sectionalism were the only alternatives； and between these millstones the Whig organization was destined to be ground to bits and to disappear after the next Presidential election。
Even previous to 1854； numbers of Whigs had sought a desperate outlet for their desire to be positive in politics and had created a new party which during a few years was to seem a reality and then vanish together with its parent。 The one chance for a party which had positive ideas and which wished not to be sectional was the definite abandonment of existing issues and the discovery of some new issue not connected with sectional feeling。 Now； it happened that a variety of causes； social and religious； had brought about bad blood between native and foreigner； in some of the great cities； and upon the issue involved in this condition the failing spirit of the Whigs fastened。 A secret society which had been formed to oppose the naturalization of foreigners quickly became a recognized political party。 As the members of the Society answered all questions with 〃I do not know；〃 they came to be called 〃Know…Nothings；〃 though they called themselves 〃Americans。〃 In those states where the Whigs had been strongest Massachusetts； New York； and Pennsylvaniathis last attempt to apply their former temper； though not their principles； had for a moment some success； but it could not escape the fierce division which was forced on the country by Douglas。 As a result； it rapidly split into factions； one of which merged with the enemies of Douglas； while the other was lost among his supporters。
What would the great dying Whig party leave behind it？ This was the really momentous question in 1854。 Briefly； this party bequeathed the temper of political positivism and at the same time the dread of sectionalism。 The inner clue to American politics during the next few years is； to many minds； to be found largely in the union of this old Whig temper with a new…born sectional patriotism； and； to other minds； in the gradual and reluctant passing of the Whig opposition to a sectional party。 But though this transformation of the wrecks of Whiggism began immediately； and while the Kansas…Nebraska Bill was still being hotly debated in Congress； it was not until 1860 that it was completed。
In the meantime various incidents had shown that the sectional patriotism of the North； the fury of the abolitionists； and the positive temper in politics； were all drawing closer together。 Each of these tendencies can be briefly illustrated。 For example； the rush to Kansas had begun； and the Massachusetts Emigrant Aid Society was preparing to assist settlers who were going west。 In May； there occurred at Boston one of the most conspicuous attempts to rescue a fugitive slave； in which a mob led by Thomas Wentworth Higginson attacked the guards of Anthony Burns； a captured fugitive； killed one of them； but failed to get the slave； who was carried to a revenue cutter between lines of soldiers and returned to slavery。 Among numerous details of the hour the burning of Douglas in effigy is perhaps worth passing notice。 In duly the anti…Nebraska men of Michigan held a convention； at which they organized as a political party and nominated a state ticket。 Of their nominees； two had hitherto ranked themselves as Free…Soilers； three as anti…slavery Democrats； and five as Whigs。 For the name of their party they chose 〃Republican；〃 and as the foundation of their platform the resolution 〃That； postponing and suspending all differences with regard to political economy or administrative policy；〃 they would 〃act cordially and faithfully in unison；〃 opposing the extension of slavery； and would 〃cooperate and be known as 'Republicans' until the contest be terminated。〃
The history of the next two years is； in its main outlines； the story of the war in Kansas and of the spread of this new party throughout the North。 It was only by degrees； however； that the Republicans absorbed the various groups of anti…Nebraska men。 What happened at this time in Illinois may be taken as typical； and it is particularly noteworthy as revealing the first real appearance of Abraham Lincoln in American history。
Though in 1854 he was not yet a national figure； Lincoln was locally accredited with keen political insight； and was； regarded in Illinois as a strong lawyer。 The story is told of him that； while he was attending court on the circuit； he heard the news of the Kansas…Nebraska Act in a tavern and sat up most of the night talking about it。 Next morning he used a phrase destined to become famous。 〃I tell you；〃 said he to a fellow lawyer； 〃this nation cannot exist half slave and half free。〃
Lincoln； however； was not one of the first to join the Republicans。 In Illinois； in 1854； Lincoln resigned his seat in the legislature to become the Whig candidate for United States senator； to succeed the Democratic colleague of Douglas。 But there was little chance of his election； for the real contest was between the two wings of the Democrats； the Nebraska men and the anti…Nebraska men； and Lincoln withdrew in favor of the candidate of the latter； who was elected。
During the following year； from the midst of his busy law practice； Lincoln watched the Whig party go to pieces。 He saw a great part of its vote lodge temporarily among the Know…Nothings； but before the end of the year even they began to lose their prominence。 In the autumn； from the obscurity of his provincial life； he saw； far off； Seward； the most astute politician of the day； join the new movement。 In New York； the Republican state convention and the Whig state convention merged into one； and Seward pronounced a baptismal oration upon the Republican part