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Indiana University 
Illinois the Anti-Nebraska Democrats occupied the position 
corresponding to the old Whig leadership in the other states. 
The elections resulted everywhere in victories for the fusion 
forces. Ohio, that in 1852 elected 12 Democratic Congressmen, 
now returned 21 Anti-Nebraska men with pluralities from 
2,000 to 7,000 votes. The loss of the Democrats since the 
election of 1853 was nearly 90,000 votes. In Indiana 9 of 
the 11 Congressmen were Fusionists, and the Illinois Democ- 
racy was given its first real defeat. Wisconsin Fusionists 
elected 2 Congressmen and carried the legislature.®'^ Kinsley 
Bingham, Republican candidate, was elected governor of Mich- 
igan, and 3 of the 4 Congressmen were Republicans. The 
decision in favor of the Republicans could hardly have been 
more decisive. 'Truly the day of Pentecost has come, for the 
lion and the lamb, or rather the jackass in lion’s skin and the 
wolf in sheep’s clothing have lain down together.”®® The 
Democrats blamed their defeat upon the Anti-Nebraska “hum- 
bug”, the temperance issue, and Know-Nothingism. The 
Know-Nothing element, which played such an important part 
in the fusion movement of 1854, was in many ways, however, 
a white elephant on the hands of the Republicans, too impor- 
tant to be alienated and yet, if cultivated, hardly important 
enough to compensate for the German element which the new 
party hoped to attract on the antislavery extension issue.®^ 
Nor was the Democratic party accustomed to stand idle and 
assume the defensive indefinitely. To counteract the Know- 
Nothings they organized among the foreign voters the “Sag 
Nichts”, v/hose third-degree members were sworn to stand 
guard at the polls to make sure that Catholics and foreigners 
were allowed to vote. 
The year 1855 was an off year except in Ohio and Wisconsin. 
Illinois Republicanism made but little progress, for the fu- 
tility of the attempt to organize around the Know-Nothing 
party had first to be made evident. Wisconsin Republicans 
hoped to take advantage of local political scandals and over- 
throw “Barstow and the balance” but the Know-Nothing ques- 
The Democrats elected Wells in the first district, due to the 2,200 majority which 
he received from the foreign vote in Milwaukee County. 
Lew Wallace, Autohioffi'aphy (New York, 1906), I, 237. 
Richard Yates in the Springfield district in Illinois, Archibald Williams in the 
Quincy district, and W. Spooner in the first Wisconsin district are examples of can- 
didates who failed to reach Congress in 1854 because of the opposition of the German 
vote. 
