At the time of this letter, Lincoln was the Illinois Republican Party’s candidate to replace Democratic incumbent Stephen A. Douglas in the U.S. Senate. See the 1858 Illinois Republican Convention. Douglas indeed delivered a campaign speech in Havana, Illinois on August 13; Lincoln delivered an address the next day. For the first part of the election campaign of 1858 Lincoln often followed Douglas on the trail, delivering speeches either later in the evening after Douglas finished, or the next day. On July 24, however, Lincoln challenged Douglas to a series of formal debates. In an August 2 letter to Joseph Eccles, Lincoln noted that he believed one of Douglas’ replies indicated that “my presence, on the days or evenings of his meetings would be considered an intrusion.” This is most likely why Lincoln addressed Havana the day after Douglas’ address rather than on the same day, as Walker suggests above. Douglas eventually agreed to debate Lincoln, resulting in the famous Lincoln-Douglas Debates.

The Illinois press published copies of as well as reports on many of the speeches Lincoln delivered while on the campaign trail.

At the time, members of the Illinois General Assembly voted for and elected the state’s representatives in the U.S. Senate; hence, the outcome of races for the Illinois House of Representatives and Illinois Senate would decide the senatorial contest. In the local elections of 1858, Republicans won a majority of all votes cast in Illinois, yet pro-Douglas Democrats retained control of the General Assembly and Douglas ultimately won reelection. Through the campaign, however, and in particular through his participation in the Lincoln-Douglas Debates, Lincoln gained recognition as well as standing within the national Republican Party.