In 1860, Lincoln ran for president with Douglas, the Democratic candidate of great renown and influence in the United States at that time. Douglas relied on the wealth, specially prepared an electioneering train, on which a ceremonial cannon was installed. Wherever he went, he would ring 32-gun salute. However, the election result was the penniless Lincoln defeated Douglas.
Look at some words of Lincoln in the election, perhaps we can find the answer to his winning. In the election, Lincoln always sat on the carriage engaged in farming, went deep into the voters to have cordial conversations. He said in his speech, “If you ask me how much property I have, I tell you I have a wife and three daughters, who are priceless. In addition, I also have a rented office, in which there's a desk and three chairs, and in whose corner there's a large bookcase on which each book is worth reading. I'm poor and thin, my face so long. I really have nothing to rely on but on you.”
1860年，林肯竞选总统。他的对手是当时在美国名望和影响力都很高的民主党代表道格拉斯。道格拉斯仰仗着自己有钱，备了一辆竞选拉票专用的火车，火车上还装有礼炮。每到一处，他都会鸣32响礼炮。可是，选举的结果却是身无分文的林肯赢了道格拉斯。
看看林肯在大选中说过的话，也许我们就能找到他获胜的原因。竞选中，林肯总是坐着农耕专用的马车，深入选民中间，和大家诚恳地交谈。他在演讲中说：“如果问我有多少财产，我告诉大家，我有一个太太和三个女儿，她们是我的无价之宝。除此之外，我还有间租来的办公室，里面有一张桌子、三把椅子，角落里有个书架，架上的每本书都值得一读。我既没钱，长得还瘦，大长脸一张。除了你们大家，我别无依靠。”
-Democratic [ˌdeməˈkrætɪk] adj. (美国)民主党的
-electioneering [ɪˌlekʃəˈnɪərɪŋ] n. 竞选活动
-ceremonial [ˌserɪˈməʊnɪəl] adj. 仪式的
-cordial [ˈkɔːdɪəl] adj. 热诚的
“It seems that God has a scale, which will forever incline to the direction in which people feel toward.”(上帝有架天平，这天平永远向人心所向的一端倾斜。)