Even though Douglass would go on to have a clear majority in all of the 57 ballots taken during the convention, he had failed to obtain the two-thirds majority it takes for the nomination. For the first time in history, a party adjourned the convention without finishing its main business of nomination a candidate. When the second convention was called together many of the delegates that had walked out of the last convention tried to get back in to vote. Some were not let in and Douglass ended up winning the nomination of the party. Southern democrats decided to hold their own convention. John C. Breckinridge was nominated on behalf of the South. The sectional crisis that was avoided for so many years inside this party finally tore it apart. This split in the party helped to stir support for a new party. .
In Illinois, Chicagoans were setting up for the Republican convention. The Wigwam, a very large convention hall, was being raised especially for the convention. William Seward, a New York State senator and former governor, leads the pack of nominees. Many people at this convention were either for or against Seward. .
Many saw Seward as too radical to obtain the nomination of the party. Seward also had to carry around the stigma of being from the corrupt New York, hurting his chances even more. After seeing the split up in the Democratic Party, Republicans were seeing their opportunity to win the elections. Coming into the nominating convention, Lincoln was being fully backed by the Illinois delegation after a emotional stunt held at the Illinois nominating convention. Two men came into the convention hall holding a fence rail with a banner that told of how that rail was split by Lincoln himself. He gained a lot of appeal as a down to earth candidate. In a party full of dishonest nominees Lincoln would win favor for being incorruptible. Going into the convention, Lincoln was just another name on the list of candidates that had to catch Seward.
