The Illinois State Democrat was an over-sized (20 by 29 inches) four-page which supported Southern Democrat candidate John C. Breckinridge in the 1860 election.  It was published in Springfield, IL., the home state of Northern Democrat Stephen A. Douglas and Republican Abraham Lincoln, by S. G. Nesbitt.

Unlike the other ten 1860 campaign newspapers which were established in 1860, The Illinois State Democrat was established in 1858.  Its objective was to “warn the democracy of Illinois of the threatened danger of disruption, and of the incorporation into the creed of the (Democratic) party, political theories which, in themselves, could never become acceptable to the democracy of the Union.”

21 issues covering the period from May 23, 1860 through October 10, 1860 are included here through the courtesy of the Illinois State Historical Library.