My opponent had the advantage of birth over me (he was a citizen by adoption) and carried off the prize.

I now withdrew from the co-partnership with Boggs, and, in May, 1860, removed to Galena, Illinois, and took a clerkship in my father's store.
While a citizen of Missouri, my first opportunity for casting a vote at a Presidential election occurred.

I had been in the army from before attaining my majority and had thought but little about politics, although I was a Whig by education and a great admirer of Mr.Clay.

But the Whig party had ceased to exist before I had an opportunity of exercising the privilege of casting a ballot; the Know-Nothing party had taken its place, but was on the wane; and the Republican party was in a chaotic state and had not yet received a name.

It had no existence in the Slave States except at points on the borders next to Free States.
In St.Louis City and County, what afterwards became the Republican party was known as the Free-Soil Democracy, led by the Honorable Frank P.Blair.