HISTORICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ILLINOIS.
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State Capitol in his defense. This was replied to by Abraham Lincoln, then a private citizen, to whom Douglas made a rejoinder. Speeches were also made in criticism of Douglas' position by Judges Breese and Trumbull (both of whom had been prominent Democrats), and other Democratic leaders were understood to be ready to assail the champion of the Kansas-Nebraska Bill, though they afterwards reversed their position under partisan pressure and became supporters of the measure. The first State Convention of the opponents of the Nebraska Bill was held at the same time, but the attendance was small and the attempt to effect a permanent organization was not successful. At the session of the Nineteenth General Assembly, which met in January, following, Lyman Trumbull was chosen the first Republican United States Senator from Illinois, in place of General Shields, whose term was about to expire. Trumbull was elected on the tenth ballot, receiving fifty-one votes to forty-seven for Governor Matteson, though Lincoln had led on the Republican side at every previous ballot, and on the first had come within six votes of an election. Although he was then the choice of a large majority of the opposition to the Democratic candidate, when Lincoln saw that the original supporters of Trumbull would not cast their votes for himself, he generously insisted that his friends should support his rival, thus determining the result. (See Matteson, Joel A.; Trumbull, Lyman, and Lincoln, Abraham.)
DECATUR EDITORIAL CONVENTION.-On Feb. 22, 1856, occurred the convention of Anti-Nebraska (Republican) editors at Decatur, which proved the first effective step in consolidating the opposition to the Kansas-Nebraska Bill into a compact political organization. The main business of this convention consisted in the adoption of a series of resolutions defining the position of their authors on National questions-especially with reference to the institution of slavery-and appointing a State Convention to be held at Bloomington, May 29, following. A State Central Committee to represent the new party was also appointed at this convention. With two or three exceptions the Committeemen accepted and joined in the call for the State Convention, which was held at the time designated, when the first Republican State ticket was p
