Lyman Trumbull to Abraham Lincoln, June 16, 1858

Senate Chamber

June 16, 1858--

My Dear Sir,

It is quite a disappointment to me not to be at Springfield to-day, but I could not do so without leaving before the business was through--

The Senate is now in Executive session acting on some unimportant appointments-- The special session seems to have been called without any important object--

I hope the convention is well attended & that all may go off harmoniously-- Douglas made one of his characteristic speeches yesterday, denouncing the late Buchanan convention as attempt of a few office holders & traitors to the Democracy of Illinois to bring about its defeat he denounced the men engaged in it as bolters, & charged that they were acting in alliance with the Republicans to defeat him; that the common object of both was to beat Douglas, as if he was the only object of party organizations in Ills-- On the same principle all the Buchanan & Fremont men were in alliance at the last election to defeat Filmore, because both were opposed to him-- Douglas was very severe on Dr. Leib & also made some allusions to Wentworth asserting that the only hope ing of defeating him was by getting up a division among the Democracy & opposing its regular nominations-- I took occasion to say in a pleasant way that the Republicans of Ill. intended to beat all the factions of the Democracy whether single or united, & that Republicans had no affiliations or alliances with Leib & Co-- This speech of Douglas will no doubt be extensively circulated in Ill. & indicates what his line of policy is to be-- He will seek to obtain Republican support by charging that some Republicans for the sake of beating him are in alliance with the Lecompton office holders, & will by charge ing that there is a combination to put him down for opposing the Lecompton iniquity & in that way get up if he can sympathy in his favor-- I do not know how much the Buchanan movement in Ill-- may amount to, but Douglas certainly means to make war upon it-- I shall remain here a short time & shall be glad to hear from you-- Very truly Yours

Lyman Trumbull