Republican candidate for President was William H. Seward, who was
United States senator from New York, and had also been governor
of that State.

The political unrest continued. Slavery was still the most
absorbing topic, and it was upon their stand for or against
slavery that all the Presidential candidates were chosen. The
pretensions and demands of the Southern leaders had by this time
passed into threats. They declared roundly that they would take
their States out of the Union if slavery were not quickly made
lawful all over the country, or in case a "Black Republican"
President should be elected. The Democrats, unable to agree among
themselves, split into two sections, the Northerners nominating
Stephen A. Douglas for President, while delegates who had come to
their National Convention from what were called the Cotton States
chose John C. Breckinridge. A few men who had belonged to the old
Whig party, but felt themselves unable to join the Republicans or
either faction of the Democrats, met elsewhere and nominated John
Bell.

This breaking up of their political enemies into three distinct
camps greatly cheered the Republicans, and when their National
Convention came together in Chicago on May 16, 1860, its members
were filled with the most eager enthusiasm. Its meetings were
held in a huge temporary wooden building called the Wigwam, so
large that 10,000 people could easily assemble in it to watch the
proceedings. Few conventions have shown such depth of feeling.
Not only the delegates on the central platform, but even the
spectators seemed impressed with the fact that they were taking
part in a great historical event. The first two days were taken