Chapter I: Ancestry and Early Life

The Trumbulls from Newcastle-on-Tyne, England--Most illustrious
family in Colony of Connecticut--Lyman Trumbull born and
educated at Colchester--Begins his career as school-teacher in
Georgia in 1833--Studies law there in office of Hiram Warner--In
1837 makes a journey on horseback to Shawneetown,
Illinois--Begins practice of law in office of Governor Reynolds
at Belleville--"Riding on the circuit" in the early days--In a
letter to his father describes the killing of Rev. Elijah P.
Lovejoy at Alton--Elected to the legislature from St. Clair
County in 1840--Appointed secretary of state in 1841 by Governor
Carlin--Removed from office in 1843 by Governor Ford--Political
disturbance in consequence--Belleville in 1842--Marriage of
Trumbull and Miss Julia Jayne--Their wedding journey--Political
campaign of 1848--Trumbull fails of nomination for governor--Is
elected judge of the supreme court in 1848--Removes his
residence to Alton--Reelected as judge in 1852, but resigns in
the following year. 1

CHAPTER II

SLAVERY IN ILLINOIS

French adventurers from Canada the first whites in
Illinois--Followed by colonists from Louisiana--Slaves sent from
Santo Domingo by John Law's Company of the Indies--Thomas
Jefferson takes steps to exclude slavery from the Northwest
Territory--The Anti-Slavery Ordinance of 1787--The territorial
legislature authorizes the holding of "indentured servants" for
a limited time--Attempts to repeal the Ordinance defeated in
Congress by John Randolph of Roanoke--State constitution in 1818
prohibits slavery--the pro-slavery men attempt to change the
constitution--Bitter contest in 1824 results in their
defeat--Slavery continues, nevertheless, under judicial
decisions--Trumbull wages war against it in the courts--His
final victory in the Jarrot case, in 1845 23

CHAPTER III

FIRST ELECTION AS SENATOR

Senator Douglas and the repeal of the Missouri
Compromise--Disruption of political parties--Trumbull announces
himself a candidate for Congress in opposition to the Nebraska
Bill--Is elected in the Eighth Illinois District--Abraham
Lincoln takes the stump against Douglas--Their joint debate at
Springfield in October, 1854--An Anti-Nebraska legislature
elected--Lincoln a candidate for Senator in place of General
Shields--Five Anti-Nebraska Bill members vote for
Trumbull--Supporters of Shields transfer their votes to Governor
Matteson--Lincoln transfers his votes to Trumbull, who is
elected by a majority of one 32

CHAPTER IV

THE KANSAS WAR

Trumbull takes his seat in the Senate--A protest is presented
declaring him not eligible--It is overruled after
debate--Disturbances in Kansas consequent upon the passage of
the Nebraska Bill--Trumbull makes a speech criticizing Douglas's
report thereon--Debate between the two Senators attracts wide
attention--Speeches of Seward, Sumner, Collamer, and
others--Trumbull's first appearance in debate is warmly welcomed
by the opponents of the Nebraska Bill 48

CHAPTER V

THE LECOMPTON FIGHT

The national contest of 1856 results in the election of James
Buchanan as President--The Republicans of Illinois elect their
state ticket--The Kansas war continues--Buchanan appoints Robert
J. Walker governor of the territory--The Pro-Slavery party hold
a convention at the town of Lecompton to form a state
constitution--The Free State men decide not to participate, but
to vote against the constitution when submitted to the
people--The convention decides not to submit the constitution to
popular vote--President Buchanan agrees to this plan--Governor
Walker thereupon resigns his office and Senator Douglas opposes
the admission of Kansas under the Lecompton Constitution--Both
Trumbull and Douglas speak against the Lecompton measure and
Congress rejects it--Douglas contemplates joining the
Republicans 69

CHAPTER VI

THE CAMPAIGN OF 1858 AND THE JOHN BROWN RAID

Popularity of Douglas among the Eastern Republicans growing out
of the Lecompton fight--Not shared by those of Illinois--The
latter choose Lincoln as their candidate for Senator--Some
letters from Lincoln to Trumbull in 1858--The campaign of 1858
results in the reelection of Douglas, but the popular vote shows
a plurality for Lincoln--Douglas's doctrine of "Unfriendly
Legislation" in the territories in regard to slavery turns the
South against him--The John Brown raid at Harper's
Ferry--Trumbull's speech and debate thereon in the Senate 86

CHAPTER VII

THE ELECTION OF LINCOLN--SECESSION

The National Republican Convention at Chicago in 1860--How
Lincoln was nominated in preference to Seward--the Secession
movement after the election--Trumbull makes a speech at
Springfield which includes a brief statement of Republican
policy written by Lincoln--Correspondence between Lincoln and
Trumbull before the inauguration--Trumbull advises his friends
in Chicago not to make concessions to those who threaten to
overthrow the Government--He has a debate in the Senate with
Jefferson Davis--Makes a speech at the night session, March 2,
1861, against the Crittenden Compromise--The latter defeated in
the Senate by Yeas, 19; Nays, 20--Some items of Washington
society news from Mrs. Trumbull--Interview between President
Buchanan and Judge McLean--Text of Trumbull's Speech against the
Crittenden Compromise 102