attempts related in history at the assassination of kings and emperors.
An enthusiast broods over the oppression of the people until he fancies
himself commissioned by heaven to liberate them. He ventures the attempt
which ends in little else than his own execution. Orsini's attempt on
Louis Napoleon, and John Brown's attempt at Harper's Ferry were, in
their philosophy, precisely the same. The eagerness to cast blame on
old England in the one case and on New England in the other, does not
disprove the sameness of the two things."

The Cooper Union speech received extravagant praise from all the
Republican newspapers. Lincoln's ardent partisans assert that it took
New York "by storm." Rather too violent a way of putting it! But there
can be no doubt that the speech made a deep impression. Thereafter, many
of the Eastern managers were willing to consider Lincoln as a candidate,
should factional jealousies prove uncompromising. Any port in a storm,
you know. Obviously, there could be ports far more dangerous than this
"favorite son" of Illinois.

Many national conventions in the United States have decided upon a
compromise candidate, "a dark horse," through just such reasoning.
The most noted instance is the Republican Convention of 1860. When
it assembled at Chicago in June, the most imposing candidate was the
brilliant leader of the New York Republicans, Seward. But no man in the
country had more bitter enemies. Horace Greeley whose paper The Tribune
was by far the most influential Republican organ, went to Chicago
obsessed by one purpose: because of irreconcilable personal quarrels
he would have revenge upon Seward. Others who did not hate Seward were
afraid of what Greeley symbolized. And all of them knew that whatever
else happened, the West must be secured.