Some people might have the idea that the 1860 Republican Party was "the little party that succeeded." Actually the Republicans had more campaign money and were better organized than their opposition. This despite the fact the party had been formed in 1854 and was running only its second presidential campaign. The Lincoln issued many campaign tokens. Some of them are fairly common as 19th century tokens go, but since it's Lincoln the collector interest is strong. Therefore, so are some of the prices. Here are the major issues express on some 1860 Lincoln campaign tokens. No other candidate in the 19th century covered so much ground. Lincoln's campaign was a deceptively complex as the man himself. Lincoln the rail splitter Lincoln was an accomplished lawyer who made far more than the average national income for the day. Yet he had the smallest net worth of anyone who had been elected president prior to him. The rail splitter image gave him a positive image, with which they could identify, for many voters. Lincoln once collected a $5,000 settlement from a railroad. That was huge money in those days and probably would not have been the image he wanted to project. He wanted to be identified as a working man, like most voters. "No More Slave Territory" Lincoln did not run as an abolitionist candidate in 1860. He called for an end to adding new territories and states were slavery would be permitted. Lincoln's hope was that slavery would die out on its own, with the help of some compensation to the slaveowners. "Free Homes for Free Men" "Protection to American Industries" When Lincoln was young, his father, Thomas, had had to move the family from Kentucky to Indiana and finally to Illinois because he could not get a clear title to the land he was occupying. Lincoln was well aware of his father's legal problems. Lincoln supported the Homestead Act, which was passed during his presidency. After paying a nominal fee, a man could get a clear title to 160 acres of government land after he had successfully tilled and lived on it for five years. The slave holders didn't like that because it empowered small farmers, who often could not afford to a slave. Those farmers were often abolitionists or open to the concept. Lincoln inherited his protectionist stand from his days as a Whig Party member. Henry Clay was Lincoln's political idol when Lincoln was young. Clay's "American System" called for high tariffs that protected American companies from foreign competition. The money collected from the tariffs was used to build roads, bridges, canals and other public works which supported the growth of the economy. "The Union Must and Shall be Preserved" This was a common theme for all four of the 1860 presidential candidates. Every one of them knew that slavery was threatening to tear the country apart. This had been major issue for several election cycles. This rare medalet has the "Wide Awakes" open eye symbol in the center. The "Wide Awakes" were a paramilitary young Republican men's group. They held large parades in the major cities to promote the Republican cause. The obverse die where the candidate is called "Abram Lincoln" was made early the campaign before some people in the east knew Lincoln's true first name. Here is a Wide Awakes medalet. "The Fall of Sumter Will be Avenged, the Rebellion Will be Crushed" This rare piece was issued after Lincoln took office and after the surrender of Fort Sumter in the Charlestown, South Carolina Harbor. It lays out the early goals of the war before emancipation became a major objective. So there you have a thumbnail sketch of the Lincoln political positions in 1860 and early 1861.
