Almost from the beginning it was highly probable that the Republicans would win, and it was substantially certain that none of their competitors could do so.  The only contrary chance was that no election might be made by the people, and that it might be thrown into Congress.  Douglas with his wonted spirit made a vigorous fight, traveling to and fro, speaking constantly in the North and a few times in the South, but defiant rather than conciliatory in tone.  He did not show one whit the less energy because it was obvious that he waged a contest without hope.  If there were any road to Democratic success, which it now seems that there was not, it lay in uniting the sundered party.  An attempt was made to arrange that whichever Democratic candidate should ultimately display the greater strength should receive the full support of the party.  Projects for a fusion ticket met with some success in New York.  In Pennsylvania like schemes were imperfectly successful.  In other Northern States they were received with scant favor.  Except some followers of Bell and Everett, men were in no temper for compromise.  At the South fusion was not even attempted; the Breckenridge men would not hear of it; the voters in that section were controlled by leaders, and these leaders probably had a very distinct policy, which would be seriously interfered with by the triumph of the Douglas ticket.

The chief anxiety of Lincoln and the Republican leaders was lest some voters, who disagreed with them only on less important issues, might stay away from the polls.  All the platforms, except that of the Constitutional Union party, touched upon other topics besides the question of slavery in the Territories; the tariff, native Americanism, acquisition of Cuba, a transcontinental railway, public lands, internal improvements, all found mention.  The Know-Nothing party still by occasional twitchings showed that life had not quite taken flight, and endeavors were made to induce Lincoln to express his views.  But he evaded it.[108] For above all else he wished to avoid the stirring of any dissension upon side issues or minor points; his hope was to see all opponents of the extension of slavery put aside for a while all other matters, refrain from discussing troublesome details, and unite for the one broad end of putting slavery where “the fathers” had left it, so that the “public mind should rest in the belief that it was in the way of ultimate extinction.”  He felt it to be fair and right that he should receive the votes of all anti-slavery men; and ultimately he did, with the exception only of the thorough-going Abolitionists.