The Life and Writings of Abraham Lincoln (30 page)

        
MAY
22. A patent is granted to Abraham Lincoln for an invention intended to buoy vessels over shoals.

        
JUNE
10. In an effort to obtain the appointment to the Commissionership of the General Land Office, Lincoln leaves Springfield and goes to Washington where he arrives on
JUNE
19.

        
JUNE
25. Having failed to obtain the appointment, he returns to Springfield.

        
SEPTEMBER.
Lincoln is offered, and declines, the secretaryship of Oregon.

1850
FEBRUARY
1. Edward, Lincoln’s second son, dies after a two weeks’ illness.

        
MARCH
7. Daniel Webster speaks in the Senate in defense of the Compromise of 1850 and is denounced in the North for defending it.

        
JULY
9. President Taylor dies. On
JULY
10, Vice President Millard Fillmore becomes President.

        
SEPTEMBER
18. The Fugitive Slave Act, which is part of the Compromise of 1850, is approved by the President.

1850
DECEMBER
21. William Wallace, a third son, is born to the Lincolns.

1851
JANUARY
17. Thomas Lincoln, Lincoln’s father, dies in Coles County, Illinois.

        
JUNE.
Uncle Tom’s Cabin
, by Harriet Beecher Stowe, begins as a serial in
The National Era
, an abolitionist newspaper in Washington. It runs throughout this year and continues into the spring of 1852.

1852
MARCH
20.
Uncle Tom’s Cabin
is published in book form and becomes a sensational success.

        
JUNE
29. Henry Clay dies.

        
OCTOBER
24. Daniel Webster dies.

        
NOVEMBER
10. Lincoln takes Ward Hill Lamon as his law partner for business to be handled in Danville, Ill.

1853
MARCH
4. Franklin Pierce is inaugurated.

        
APRIL
4. Thomas (“Tad”), Lincoln’s fourth son is born.

1854
APRIL
4. Herndon is elected Mayor of Springfield.

        
MAY
30. The Kansas-Nebraska Act is signed by President Pierce.

        
AUGUST
9. Lincoln’s interest in politics has been reawakened by the fight over the Kansas-Nebraska bill. He meets Richard Yates, anti-Nebraska Congressman from Illinois, while Yates is on his way home from Washington. Lincoln agrees to campaign for Yates in his fight against the bill.

        
OCTOBER
4. On the previous day Douglas had spoken in Springfield in defense of the Nebraska Bill. During the afternoon of the fourth Lincoln speaks for three hours in reply to Douglas.

        
OCTOBER
5. Abolitionists in Springfield using the new name “Republicans” hold a meeting on this day, to which they invite Lincoln. At Herndon’s suggestion he avoids alliance with them and leaves town in order to evade the issue.

        
OCTOBER
16. Douglas speaks again at Peoria, and Lincoln
replies to him during the evening, delivering the address that he had given twelve days before at Springfield, but with some emendations and additions. This is the first of his great speeches.

1854
AUTUMN.
Lincoln has an opportunity to become United States Senator because of his position as leader of the anti-Nebraska men in Illinois. He canvasses the members of the Legislature to find out how much support he can get.

1855
FEBRUARY
8. Lincoln is defeated in the race for United States Senator. He throws his votes to an anti-Nebraska Democrat, Lyman Trumbull, who is elected. Lincoln continues to fight against the Kansas-Nebraska Act.

        
AUGUST
24. Lincoln writes a long letter to Joshua Speed in which he sets forth his own attitude toward slavery and makes clear his political standing.

        
SEPTEMBER
20–21. Lincoln is employed as associate counsel in a patent suit, McCormick vs. Manny, which is tried at Cincinnati. Edwin M. Stanton, later to be Lincoln’s Secretary of War, is senior counsel; he snubs Lincoln, and Lincoln plays no part in the trial.

1856
MAY
21. Lawrence, Kansas, is sacked by a pro-slavery mob.

        
MAY
22. Preston Brooks attacks Charles Sumner in the Senate, beating him over the head with a cane and severely injuring him.

        
MAY
29. Lincoln attends the Republican State Convention at Bloomington, Ill. He is nominated as a Presidential elector and makes a speech that brings the crowd to its feet cheering. (The famous “Lost Speech.”) This marks Lincoln’s first open adherence to the principles of the Republican party.

        
JUNE
19. The Republican party, in convention at Philadelphia, nominates John C. Frémont for President. In the balloting, Lincoln receives 110 votes for Vice
President, but W. L. Dayton of New Jersey is nominated. During the next few months Lincoln speaks more than fifty times for Frémont.

        
NOVEMBER
4. Frémont is defeated, and James Buchanan is elected President on the Democratic ticket.

        
DECEMBER
10. Although the Republicans have lost the election, they feel that they have made many political gains. They hold a banquet at Chicago at which Lincoln speaks.

        
MARCH
4. James Buchanan is inaugurated.

        
MARCH
6–7. The Dred Scott decision is made public by the Supreme Court which rules that Negroes can not become citizens and that the Missouri Compromise of 1820 was invalid from its inception.

        
JUNE
12. Stephen A. Douglas speaks in Springfield on the Dred Scott decision and on Kansas.

        
JUNE
15. Ah election is held in Kansas at which delegates to a constitutional convention are to be chosen. The Free State men, fearing duplicity, refuse to participate in the election.

        
JUNE
26. Lincoln speaks in Springfield in reply to Douglas.

        
LATE JULY.
Lincoln makes a brief trip to New York, the purpose of which is unknown.

        
OCTOBER
5. The Free State men in Kansas win control of the Legislature. Nevertheless, on
OCTOBER
19, the pro-slavery constitutional convention meets, determined to make Kansas a slave state.

        
DECEMBER
9. Douglas speaks in the United States Senate, denouncing the Lecompton constitution for Kansas and breaking with Buchanan and the Democratic party.

        
DECEMBER
21. An election is held in Kansas on the adoption of the Lecompton constitution. Again the Free State men refuse to vote. The election is proved to be
based on fraudulent returns. The anti-slavery Kansas Legislature appoints another election day at which the whole constitution may be accepted or rejected.

1858
JANUARY
4. This election is held in Kansas, and the Lecompton constitution is rejected by an overwhelming vote which shows that Kansas is a section predominantly opposed to slavery.

        
MARCH.
Herndon goes East to consult with anti-slavery leaders there.

        
MAY
7. Lincoln successfully defends Duff Armstrong, son of Hannah Armstrong, an old New Salem friend, in a trial for murder held at Beardstown. He proves his case by the use of an almanac.

        
JUNE
16. The Illinois Republican Convention, meeting at Springfield, unanimously chooses Lincoln for the United States Senate to replace Douglas. During the evening, Lincoln delivers his celebrated “House Divided” speech.

        
JULY
9. Douglas speaks in Chicago from the balcony of the Tremont House. Lincoln is present and takes notes of what he says.

        
JULY
10. Lincoln, speaking at the same place, replies to Douglas.

        
JULY
17. During the afternoon Douglas speaks at an open air meeting in Springfield. Lincoln replies to him in the evening, speaking in the Hall of Representatives.

        
JULY
24–31. The Republicans are dissatisfied at the way Lincoln has been following Douglas. They urge him to challenge Douglas to a series of formal debates. This is now arranged.

        
AUGUST
2. The people of Kansas again refuse the Lecompton constitution together with a free-land bribe. The debates between Lincoln and Douglas are held as follows:

        
AUGUST
21. At Ottawa.

1858
AUGUST
27. At Freeport.

        
SEPTEMBER
15. At Jonesboro.

        
SEPTEMBER
18. At Charleston.

        
OCTOBER
7. At Galesburg.

        
OCTOBER
13. At Quincy.

        
OCTOBER
15. At Alton.

        
NOVEMBER
2. Election day. The Republicans in Illinois are successful in electing some state officers and in making general gains, but the Democrats still hold a majority in the Legislature, making it almost certain that Douglas will be elected to the Senate.

1859
JANUARY
5. The election is held in the State Legislature at which Douglas is returned to the Senate—a foregone conclusion.

        
SEPTEMBER
16. Lincoln speaks at Columbus, Ohio.

        
SEPTEMBER
17. He speaks at Cincinnati.

        
SEPTEMBER
30. He speaks before the Wisconsin Agricultural Society at Milwaukee.

        
OCTOBER
16. John Brown captures the Federal arsenal at Harper’s Ferry.

        
OCTOBER
18. John Brown is captured at daybreak and is taken the next day to jail at Charlestown, Virginia.

        
NOVEMBER
2. John Brown is sentenced to death.

        
NOVEMBER
30. Lincoln leaves Springfield for a speaking tour in Kansas.

        
DECEMBER
2. John Brown is hanged.

        
DECEMBER
8. Lincoln returns to Springfield.

        
DECEMBER
20. Lincoln writes an autobiographical sketch, intended for use in publicizing him for President, and sends it to Jesse W. Fell of Bloomington, Ill.

1860
FEBRUARY
23. Lincoln leaves Springfield to go to New York where he has been invited to speak.

        
FEBRUARY
27. During the evening of this day, Lincoln delivers his celebrated speech at Cooper Union.

        
FEBRUARY
28. He leaves New York and goes on a speaking
tour of New England during which he visits his son, Robert, at school in Exeter.

1860
MARCH
11. On this day he goes to hear Henry Ward Beecher preach at his Plymouth Church in Brooklyn. The next day he leaves New York for Springfield, where he arrives on
MARCH
14. From this time on he is actively engaged in winning the Republican nomination for the Presidency.

        
APRIL
23. The Democratic National Convention meets at Charleston, S. C., and splits over sectional differences.

        
MAY
9. At the Republican State Convention at Decatur, Ill., John Hanks brings in two fence rails which he and Lincoln had split in the Sangamon bottom 30 years before. Lincoln becomes nationally known as “the rail-splitter candidate.” The convention instructs its delegates to vote for Lincoln at the Republican National Convention.

        
MAY
18. The Republican National Convention, meeting in Chicago, nominates Lincoln for President of the United States.

        
MAY
19. The official nominating committee arrives in Springfield and visits Lincoln at his home. The Constitutional Union party nominates John Bell of Tennessee.

        
JUNE
1. (?) Lincoln prepares a lengthy autobiographical sketch which is to be used in writing a campaign biography.

        
JUNE
18. Douglas is nominated by the Northern Democrats.

        
JUNE
28. The Southern Democrats nominate John C. Breckinridge of Kentucky.

        
SUMMER.
Lincoln stays at home in Springfield while the hotly contested Presidential campaign is being fought.

        
OCTOBER
11. News is received in Springfield that the
Republicans have carried the early elections in Ohio, Indiana and Pennsylvania.

1860
OCTOBER
26. Lincoln hears that some of the army officers at Fort Kearney have threatened to desert and take their arms into the South if a Republican President is elected.

        
NOVEMBER
6. Abraham Lincoln is elected President of the United States.

        
NOVEMBER
10. The South Carolina Legislature passes a bill calling for a convention on
DECEMBER
17 at which the matter of the state’s relationship to the national Government is to be taken up.

        
DECEMBER
4. Buchanan reads his annual message to Congress in which he puts forth his views that the South has no right to secede. However, he takes no action.

        
DECEMBER
17. The South Carolina convention meets at Columbia. Smallpox is raging there. The convention moves to Charleston, and there, on
DECEMBER
20, passes an ordinance of secession, severing that state’s connection with the Union.

        
DECEMBER
20. Thurlow Weed, Seward’s political manager, comes to Springfield to sound out Lincoln on compromise with the South. He is told that no compromise on extending slavery will be countenanced by the President-elect.