XII.
APPEAL TO COMMON SENSE.
SPEECH DELIVERED AT THE ACADEMY OF MUSIC, MILWAUKEE,
ON THE 28TH OF OCTOBER, 1864.
Like the two preceding ones this speech was delivered in the Presidential campaign of 1864. It was the object of the speaker to review those points of the controversy, a full discussion of which the line of argument followed in his previous addresses had not permitted. This speech bears, therefore, to a certain extent, the character of a supplement. At the time of its delivery the Congressional and State elections in Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana had already taken place, and the result was so favorable to the Union cause, that the Presidential election seemed to be no longer in doubt.
Mr. President and Fellow-Citizens:—
My experience leads me to believe that the party
arrayed against the Government of the Republic in this
crisis contains a large number of people who honestly
mean to do right, but who, by force of habit, are following
their accustomed leaders without questioning the consistency
of their conduct and the candor and truthfulness of
their representations. Their principal failing is that they
are too careless to think for themselves, for a little
independence of mind joined to their good intentions would
certainly lead them to see what is right, and to act
accordingly. It is to them that I will address myself.
From the Democratic leaders I will appeal to the
Democratic masses. I shall abstain from all attempts to capti-
