Cecil A. Partee Memoir - University of Illinois Springfield

A: No, I don't think we had opposition but once during that first five terms.
Q: In that first election, roughly, what was the division between the Republican
and Democratic vote? Was there much Republican vote at all?
A: Not much, no. I would rather go back and check the secretary of state's
figures than to guess at it, but it probably was eight or ten-to-one, something
lfke that probably.
Q: Even at that time.
Ai Yes.
Q: And you went to the legislature, then, in January, T guess?
A: January, 1957.
Q: Was that your first time In Springfield?
A: No, I had been to Springfield in 1947 to be swwn in as a lawyer.
Q: Oh, I see. Yes, sir. But, except for that, you had not been to Springfield
?
A: I don't remember whether I had been there in connecttan with any legal work
or not. I'm aot sure. 1 don't think so, though.
Q: Where did you stay when you first went to Springfield in 1957?
A: At the St. Nicholas Hotel.
Q: And that was Democratic headquarters, mare or less, at that time, wasn't it?
A: It was Democratic headquarters, yes.
Q: What did you do the first day you arrived down there?
A: Well, I was sworn in and I had a group of about ten or twelve friends from
Chicago who came down for my swearing in. My mother and dad came up from
St. Louis and after we were sworn in--we had our preliminary meeting--we went
back over to the hotel and we all had a big dinner, a little celebration.
Q: Preliminary meeting? Of what nature?
A: No, I said a dinner. We just went back to the hotel and had a dinnqr with
my friends.
Q: ah, I see, yes. (pause) Who were the people that were closest know to
you when you first went down to Springfield? Of the others that went don
that: year?