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' candidacy impossible； insisted on radical pro…slavery declarations and a denial of all right of the people of a Territory to prevent the holding of slaves。 After a fierce struggle the Northern platform was adopted by a small majority。 Immediately the delegates from Alabama； Mississippi； South Carolina； Louisiana； Florida； Texas； Arkansas and three…fourths of that from Georgia refused to abide by it and withdrew。
The seceders organized another Convention； adopted the radical platform which had been rejected and adjourned to meet at Richmond on the 11th of June。
The regular Convention； meanwhile； found itself unable to do anything。 The settled rule required a vote of two…thirds of all the delegates to select a candidate。 The chairman ruled that in order to be nominated Douglas must have two…thirds of all the delegates elected； notwithstanding the secession。 This required 202 votes。 He had but 152 and the other 50 were not to be had。 On May 3rd； after 57 ballots； the Convention adjourned to meet at Baltimore on June 18th。 Davis； Toombs and the other leaders of the Southern junta in Congress issued an address approving the course of the seceders at Charleston； advising them to take no action at Richmond； but to await the result of the Baltimore Convention and expressing the conviction that； if fair concessions were not made to the South； other delegations would join them。
They accordingly came to Baltimore and demanded their seats in that Convention。 But some of the States had elected new delegations which claimed them。 For days confusion prevailed。 Douglas sent two messages suggesting that his candidacy be dropped。 But there were suppressed by his friends； who inexorably demanded his nomination。 Five more States withdrew and the chairman resigned and joined the seceders。 The Convention reorganized itself and proceeded to ballot。 Douglas received all but thirteen votes； less； however； than the required two…thirds of all the delegates elected。 But a resolution was passed declaring him nominated on the ground that he had received the votes of two…thirds of all delegates present。 Senator Fitzpatrick of Alabama was nominated for Vice…President and the Convention adjourned。 He declined and the Committee placed Herschel V。 Johnson of Georgia in his place。
The seceders； joined by the recent recruits； held their Convention in Baltimore on the 28th of June and nominated John C。 Breckenridge of Kentucky for President and Joseph Lane of Oregon for Vice…President。
This did not bring about a new condition； but revealed one which had existed for many years。 The South was technically right in it demand that the Convention declare itself explicitly in favor of the honest and faithful maintenance of its constitutional rights in the Territories。 These rights had been vehemently denied by the Republicans； but triumphantly established on a solid basis by the decision of the Supreme Court。 Douglas had quibbled over the decision and explained it away until it seemed doubtful whether it in fact settled anything。 The platform adopted by his supporters in the Convention recited the differences of opinion among Democrats as to the exact limits of the powers of the territorial legislature and those of Congress and referred the question again to the Court with a pledge to abide by its decision。 They seemed to forget that the whole question had already been decided in the most sweeping terms in favor of the extreme Southern demands。 It is not impossible that； had the South consented tot his vague and disingenuous platform and vigorously supported Douglas； he might have been elected。 But 〃the South was implacable towards him and deliberately resolved to accept defeat rather than secure a victory under his lead。〃
The Republicans； meanwhile； had held their memorable Convention at Chicago； where； on May 18th； Lincoln had been nominated。 When the news arrived in Washington； it made a great stir。 The Republican Senators and Members gathered around Douglas to hear his judgement of the new statesman who had risen in the West。
〃Gentlemen；〃 he said； 〃 you have nominated a very able and a very honest man。〃
On the adjournment of Congress； disregarding the decorous custom of seventy years； he entered the campaign； making speeches in his own behalf。 He knew from the outset that with only a fraction of his party at his back； his chances of election were slight。 But he fought on fiercely； partly from temperament and partly from conviction that he ought； if possible； to prevent Lincoln's election。 Besides； there was a shadowy possibility of an election by the House of Representatives。 At times his old Democratic enthusiasm returned。 He told one audience that had his party given him undivided support he would have carried every State in the Union against Lincoln； except two。
He was sincerely alarmed for the safety of the Union in case of Lincoln's election； which he believed probable。 He urged upon the South the duty of submitting to the result whatever it might be。 At Norfolk； Virginia； he was asked whether； if Lincoln 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 m