V.
RATIFICATION OF MR. LINCOLN'S FIRST
NOMINATION FOR THE PRESIDENCY.
SPEECH DELIVERED AT ALBANY HALL, MILWAUKEE,
ON THE 26TH OF MAY, 1860.
The meeting at which this speech was delivered was called for the purpose of ratifying the nomination made by the Republican National Convention at Chicago in 1860. Before the Convention met, it was generally expected that a strong effort would be made by certain delegations to carry a platform and to nominate candidates calculated to conciliate, by concessions, the Old Line Whigs and the Know-Nothings. This circumstance is referred to in the opening paragraphs of the speech. The delegation from Wisconsin had been instructed to vote for the nomination of Mr. Seward, who enjoyed an immense popularity in the State, and was then looked upon as the head of the more advanced wing of the Republican party. The news of his defeat in the Convention was received with marks of dissatisfaction by many of his friends, and to the latter the closing appeal of this speech is addressed.
Mr. President and Gentlemen:—
As one of the delegates who had the honor to
represent the Republicans of Wisconsin in the National
Convention, I feel called upon to give you a brief account
of our doings, and of the views which guided us in our
course. We have faithfully endeavored to do our duty
as we understood it, and I am bold enough to assume that
our understanding of it did not differ from yours.
We went there not only for the purpose of subserving the interests of the party, but above all of promoting the interests of our cause.
