After his term in congress he was, in a measure, out of employment.
Political life is like to destroy one's taste for the legitimate
practise of the law, as well as to scatter one's clients. Lincoln was
not a candidate for reelection. Upon the election of General Taylor it
was generally understood that the democrats would be turned out of
office and their places supplied by whigs. The office of Land
Commissioner was expected to go to Illinois. At the solicitation of
friends he applied for it, but so fearful was he that he might stand in
the way of others, or impede the welfare of the state, that he did not
urge his application until too late. The President offered him the
governorship of the territory of Oregon, which he declined. Had he been
successful in his application, it would have kept him permanently out
of the study and practise of the law. It would have kept his residence
in Washington so that it would not have been possible for him to hold
himself in touch with his neighbors. So far as concerned his
illustrious career, it would have side-tracked him. He himself
recognized this later, and was glad that he had failed in this, his
first and only application for a government appointment.

About six years later he again missed an office to which he aspired.
This was in 1854, the year of the speeches at Springfield and Peoria
described in the last chapter. Shields, the man of the duel with broad-
swords, was United States senator. His term of office was about to
expire and the legislature would elect his successor. The state of
Illinois had been democratic,--both the senators, Shields and Douglas,
were democrats,--but owing to the new phases of the slavery question,
the anti-slavery men were able to carry the legislature, though by a
narrow margin.

Lincoln had been very useful to the party during the campaign and had