Democrats triumphed, and Buchanan was elected President; but
Lincoln was not discouraged, for the new Republican party had
shown unexpected strength throughout the North. Indeed, Lincoln
was seldom discouraged. He had an abiding faith that the people
would in the long run vote wisely; and the cheerful hope he was
able to inspire in his followers was always a strong point in his
leadership.

In 1858, two years after this, another election took place in
Illinois, on which the choice of a United States senator
depended. This time it was the term of Stephen A. Douglas that
was drawing to a close. He greatly desired reelection. There was
but one man in the State who could hope to rival him, and with a
single voice the Republicans of Illinois called upon Lincoln to
oppose him. Douglas was indeed an opponent not to be despised.
His friends and followers called him the "Little Giant." He was
plausible, popular, quick-witted, had winning manners, was most
skilful in the use of words, both to convince his hearers and, at
times, to hide his real meaning. He and Lincoln were old
antagonists. They had first met in the far-away Vandalia days of
the Illinois legislature. In Springfield, Douglas had been the
leader of the young Democrats, while Lincoln had been leader of
the younger Whigs. Their rivalry had not always been confined to
politics, for gossip asserted that Douglas had been one of Miss
Todd's more favored suitors. Douglas in those days had no great
opinion of the tall young lawyer; while Lincoln is said to have
described Douglas as "the least man I ever saw"--although that
referred to his rival's small stature and boyish figure, not to
his mental qualities. Douglas was not only ambitious to be
President: he had staked everything on the repeal of the Missouri