In afternoon Lincoln is driven in wagon drawn by six black horses from Ross home to town square, where he speaks for two hours. ISLA—Statement of W. C. Dickson, 5 August 1928, Ms.

After meeting, Calvin Jackson, photographer, makes two ambrotypes of him. Frederick H. Meserve, The Photographs of Abraham Lincoln (New York: privately printed, 1911), 46.

Tradition has it that Lincoln and J. K. Moore start for Naples, and spend night at home of Aaron Tyler. ISLA—Letter of E. S. Hoyt, 3 March 1929.

[If Lincoln goes to Naples today it is doubtless to take packet north for speaking appointments. He could have gone from Naples to Peoria by boat in 18 hours. ISLA—Letters of E. S. Hoyt, 11 August 1928, 3 March 1929.]

[Lincoln's presence at home is obvious inference from his speech in Lincoln yesterday and departure by train for Naples tomorrow morning.]

Before resuming his travels, Lincoln writes to James N. Brown, Sangamon County politician, explaining his position on race question. Alighting from train at Naples, he meets "about fifteen Celtic gentlemen, with black carpet-sacks in their hands." This worries him. He fears Democrats may secure enough fraudulent votes to carry doubtful districts. He inquires where they are going, but can learn nothing definite. He speaks at Naples in afternoon, and at nearby Meredosia after dark, remarking about Irishmen probably imported to vote against him. Abraham Lincoln to James N. Brown, 18 October 1858, CW, 3:327-28; Speech at Meredosia, Illinois, 18 October 1858, CW, 3:328-29.

Arriving for speech, Lincoln hears another rumor which worries him, that 400 Irish are to be brought into Schuyler County to work on some new railroad and to be voted Democratic. Abraham Lincoln to Norman B. Judd, 20 October 1858, CW, 3:329-30.

After speech he travels across country to Rushville in buggy driven by Charles H. Sweeney, law student. IHi—Trans., 1903, 229-30; ISLA—Letter of S. B. Gaddis, 29 July 1959.

A large crowd gathers in the public square to hear Lincoln speak. One newspaper reports that the procession of attendees entering the square measures approximately "one mile and a half long--double the length of any other procession ever seen in Rushville." Before delivering his remarks, Lincoln stops at the home of local businessman William H. Ray, and his "hospitable mansion...is thronged with the old friends and admirers of Mr. Lincoln." Lincoln begins speaking at two in the afternoon to an audience of between 2,000 and 3,000, "among whom was a large number of ladies." Lincoln states his views on slavery, and he defends his "House Divided" speech against Stephen A. Douglas's criticism. A couple of "disturbances" slightly mar Lincoln's speech. Some suspect that the Democratic party is behind the appearance of "a black flag...found fluttering from the top of the Court house steeple!" A newspaper reports that the incident is "a public insult offered to the Republicans of Schuyler County." During his speech, some "foolish boys" as well as "Several females" heckle Lincoln to the point that he is "compelled to stop in the midst of his speech and request them to be still." In spite of the problems, however, the paper adds that "the day passed off very pleasantly and successfully." Speech at Rushville, Illinois, 20 October 1858, CW, 3:329; Schuyler Citizen (Rushville, IL), 27 October 1858, 2:1-4; Chicago Daily Press and Tribune (IL), 23 October 1858, 2:2; Newton Bateman and Paul Selby, eds., Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and History of Schuyler County (Chicago: Munsell Publishing, 1908), 442-43.

Lincoln writes a letter to Norman B. Judd, a member of the Illinois State Senate from Chicago. He seeks Judd's advice on how to prevent "fraudulent votes" in the upcoming election. Lincoln fears that the opposition "will introduce into the doubtful districts numbers of men who are legal voters in all respects except residence and who will swear to residence and thus put it beyond our power to exclude them." Lincoln suspects that the "fifteen Celtic gentlemen, with black carpet-sacks in their hands" whom he recently encountered in Naples were there for that purpose. He also relays to Judd that he heard that "about four hundred of the same sort were to be brought into Schuyler [County], before the election, to work on some new Railroad." Lincoln explains that he checked with a source in Schuyler who "thinks that is not so." Lincoln suggests to Judd that perhaps someone could infiltrate the ranks of the suspect voters, someone "in disguise, who could, at the nick of time, control their votes." Lincoln concludes, "If we can head off the fraudulent votes we shall carry the day." Biographical Directory of the American Congress, 1774-1949 (Washington, D.C.: United States Government Printing Office, 1950), 1391; Abraham Lincoln to Norman B. Judd, 20 October 1858, CW, 3:329-30.

Lincoln speaks before large crowd. Some 2,000 ladies are in procession which passes house where he is staying. "Mr. Lincoln was in admirable spirits and voice," writes Chicago "Tribune" correspondent, "and gave us the best speech ever made in Hancock County." Chicago Tribune, 26 October 1858; Speech at Carthage, Illinois, 22 October 1858, CW, 3:330-31.

[Lincoln's buggy, little used by him this fall, is fitted with new doubletree, plus stay and bolt repairs ($1.75). Obed Lewis Account Books.]

Lincoln visits relatives, speaks at Dallas City in afternoon, where steamboats from Oquawka and Fort Madison, Iowa bring delegations to swell crowd, and delivers evening speech at La Harpe Methodist Church. ISLA—Statements of W. E. Barton, 24 November 1926, Jacob Thompson, 12 November 1926, Jonathan Smith, 16, 20 March 1929; Oquawka Spectator, 28 October 1858.

Lincoln arrives at about noon, and a cheering crowd accompanies him to the Randolph House, a hotel owned by William Harrison Randolph, a local businessman and a former state legislator. At two o'clock, on the courthouse square, Lincoln speaks before a crowd of more than four thousand people, "who stood there in the mud, and fog, and drizzle through his whole speech." Chicago Daily Press and Tribune (IL), 28 October 1858, 2:4; Quincy Daily Whig and Republican (IL), 27 October 1858, 2:1; Speech at Macomb, Illinois, 25 October 1858, CW, 3:333.

During part of day Lincoln rests at Randolph House. Hotel charges the $2.50 bill for his room to the Lincoln Club. Later Col. Thomas Hamer drives him to Vermont. ISLA—Randolph House room book; Statement of Jacob Thompson, 12 November 1926.

Lincoln makes speech in rain in Vermont, standing under umbrella, to crowd of "more than one thousand." Illinois State Journal, 2 September 1858, 3:1; ISLA—John W. Procter to James R. B. Van Cleave, 1 July 1908, Van Cleave Mss. (places Lincoln in Vermont on 31 October).

Thomas J. Henderson meets Lincoln in Kewanee and escorts him to Virginia Hotel in Toulon. In afternoon Lincoln speaks in town square and returns to Kewanee. Chicago Daily Press and Tribune, 19 October 1858, 1:1; Thomas J. Henderson to Abraham Lincoln, 18 October 1858, CW, 10:33; Peoria Daily Transcript, 30 October 1858, 1:2 (places Lincoln in Toulon on 26 October); "Lincoln's Talk Here in Fifties," Kewanee Daily Star-Courier, 25 September 1908, 4:4, 5:3-4; Statement of Samuel M. Adams, 4 August 1927, "Reminiscences--Debates" Vertical File, Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library, Springfield, IL (places Lincoln in Toulon on 6 October).

Before boarding the train for Chicago in the morning, Lincoln delivers a brief speech to residents of Kewanee who have assembled at the railroad station. "Lincoln's Talk Here in Fifties," Kewanee Daily Star-Courier, 25 September 1908, 4:4, 5:3-4.

Lincoln makes hurried visit to Chicago. "Mr. Lincoln was at the Tremont House a few moments . . . on his way to speak at Petersburgh," reports Chicago Daily Democrat. "Mr. Lincoln in Chicago," Chicago Daily Democrat, 29 October 1858, 1:1.

Lincoln speaks to "large and enthusiastic assembly." Later, at flag station 20 miles west of Springfield, he and Henry Villard, reporter, take refuge from storm in box car. Lincoln tells Villard that as youth his highest political ambition was to be elected to legislature. Now his wife insists he will be senator and President too. "Just think of such a sucker as me as President!" Henry Villard, Memoirs of Henry Villard, 2 vols. (Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1904), 1:96; Menard Index, 4 November 1858; Speech at Petersburg, Illinois, 29 October 1858, CW, 3:333.

Supporters host a "grand reception" for Lincoln who has spent much of the month of October away from his hometown. One reporter claims that "never since Sangamon has been a county or Illinois a State, has the centre seen such an outpouring of the people to do a citizen honor. Never, never!" Supporters from Jacksonville and Decatur attend the rally, and participants from Logan and McLean counties, filling up thirty-two train cars, are in Springfield as well. The crowd is "so righteously enthusiastic" that "Speaking was out of the question. Lincoln tried it, and though he held at all times an audience of five thousand or more, something more demonstrative than his convincing and unimpassioned oratory was needed to satisfy the eager crowd." Chicago Daily Press and Tribune (IL), 2 November 1858, 1:3.

In a letter to Edward Lusk of Meredosia, Lincoln denies that he has ever been a member of the Know-Nothing party. Lincoln writes, "I stated in a public speech at Meredosia, that I am not, nor ever have been, connected with the party called the Know-Nothing party, or party calling themselves the American party." Abraham Lincoln to Edward Lusk, 30 October 1858, CW, 3:333.