The victory for free Kansas was perhaps to an undue extent ascribed to him.

The completeness of that victory was everywhere recognized, and the lawless intruders who had worked so hard to inflict slavery on the new Territory gradually withdrew.
In the South, Douglas was covered with maledictions.

But for his influence, Southern men felt that Kansas would have been admitted with a pro-slavery constitution, and the senatorial equality of the South firmly re-established.

Northern Republicans, outside of Illinois, were in a forgiving frame of mind toward Douglas; and he had undoubtedly regained a very large share of his old popularity.
But Illinois Republicans were less amiable towards him.

They would not forget that he had broken down an anti-slavery barrier which had been reared with toil and sanctified by time.