Yesterday (Monday) was a proud day for the Republicans in old Tazewell County, who met in mass meeting at Tremont for the purpose of listening to speeches from Abraham Lincoln and Judge Kellogg.3 At an early hour in the morning, delegations, bearing appropriate banners, commenced pouring into town from the various towns surrounding, and by noon a large concourse of people, numbering at least two thousand persons, was on the ground.

A[t] 10 o’clock the County Convention assembled in the 0ld Court House. Every town in the county was fully represented, and the very best feeling prevailed. The nomination of a candidate for Representative was made by acclamation, and R. N. Cullom received it with a hearty aye; and upon being called upon, that gentleman stepped forward and accepted the nomination tendered him in a short but exceedingly appropriate speech. Mr. Cullom is a brother of Gen. Cullom, of Tennessee, late Clerk of the House of Representatives at Washington. He is an old line Whig, a man of considerable ability and much good sense, is very popular with all parties, is devoted to the election of Mr. Lincoln to the Senate of the United States, and the nomination is the most fortunate one that could have been made. His election may be counted upon with absolute certainty.4 After Mr. Cullom’s nomination, the Convention proceeded to ballot for candidates for Sheriff and Coroner. Thos. C. Reeves, of Pekin, was nominated for the former [o]ffice,5 and A. W Glasgow for the latter.6 The Convention then broke up with nine rousing c[h]eers for Abe Lincoln, and three more for its candidates.

At half-past one o’clock Mr. Lincoln was escorted to the steps in front of the Court House by a delegation of gentlemen, headed by a band of music. He was introduced to the audience by John A. Jones, President of the meeting, and spoke for about two hours. We need not add that his speech was an excellent one, and was received with intense interest by the audience. Mr. Lincoln is perfectly at home in old Tazewell. He has many personal and political friends in that county, and he was eagerly listened to. About one half of his time was pleasantly, and we can but think profitably, occupied in talking familiarly and often eloquently to his old Whig friends. He went through with a rapid account of the times when he had advocated the doctrines of the Whig party in Tazewell County during the successive campaigns of 1840—’44—’48 and ’52, and a[l]luded to the fact that he had often met Douglas upon the very steps upon which he was speaking, before as now to oppose his political doctrines.7 He then entered into a comparison of the principles of the Whig party as expounded by its great leader, Henry Clay, and those of the Republican party of the present day, showing that there was no difference.8 He then remarked that he was opposing slavery on account of the new aspect in which it was being placed by its upholders, and then branched out with a comprehensive view of the great issues involved in this canvass.

When Mr. Lincoln had finished, Judge Kellogg took the stand and made an effective and powerful speech, in which he went rapidly over the ground of the controversy, and held the Douglas party up in its true light. His speech was loudly applauded, and none of his points were lost upon the audience.

The meeting broke up about five o’clock, amid great enthusiasm. Our friends in old Tazewell are confident of victory, and after spending a day with them and witnessing the feeling which prevails, we confess that we are highly gratified at the prospect there. Tazewell County may be set down as entirely safe. Cullom will be elected by six hundred majority.