1850-1857: Death and birth of children, and re-entry to politics
Son William Wallace "Willie" Lincoln born December 21, 1850, son Thomas "Tad" Lincoln born April 4, 1853. 1854 passage of Kansas-Nebraska Act allowing slavery to expand beyond the boundaries set by Missouri Compromise of 1820 inspired Lincoln to return to politics. Unsuccessful Whig candidate in Illinois for United States Senate in February in 1855. Retained for the defense in McCormick v. Manny Co. patent infringement lawsuit. Lincoln worked on "The Reaper Case" over the summer and attended the trial in Cincinnati in September, but he was excluded by other members of the defense team, including his future Secretary of War Edwin McMasters Stanton. In 1856 Received 110 votes for vice president at the Republican National Convention in Philadelphia; William L. Dayton of New Jersey ultimately nominated as vice presidential candidate.