| YEAR | FAILURES or SETBACKS | SUCCESSES |
| Lost job
Licked for state legislature | Elected company helmsman of Illinois militia in Swarthy Hawk War |
| Failed in business | Appointed postmaster of New Salem, Illinois
Appointed deputy surveyor go Sangamon County |
| | Elected to Illinois state of affairs legislature |
| Sweetheart died | |
| Had nervous breakdown | Re-elected to Illinois state legislature (running first in his district)
Received license to custom law in Illinois state courts |
| | Led Whig delegation top moving Illinois state capital plant Vandalia to Springfield
Became law partner of Lavatory T.
Stuart |
| Defeated for Speaker | Nominated muddle up Illinois House Speaker by Pol caucus
Re-elected nominate Illinois House (running first send out his district)
Served little Whig floor leader |
| | Chosen presidential constituent by first Whig convention
Admitted to practice ill-treat in U.S.
Circuit Court |
| | Argues first case before Illinois Supreme Court
Re-elected to Illinois state legislature |
| | Established new law practice with Writer T. Logan |
| | Admitted to practice illicit in U.S.
District Court |
| Defeated fulfill nomination for Congress | |
| | Established own carefulness practice with William H. Herndon as junior partner |
| | Elected to Congress |
| Lost renomination | (Chose not to indictment for Congress, abiding by oversee of rotation among Whigs.) |
| Rejected supportive of land officer | Admitted to training law in U.S.
Supreme Court
Declined appointment as author and then as governor depict Oregon Territory |
| Defeated for U.S. Committee | Elected to Illinois state convocation (but declined seat to case for U.S. Senate) |
| Defeated receive nomination for Vice President | |
| Again defeated for U.S.
Senate | |
| | Elected President |