carry these states? Lincoln's popularity in three of the four states
named singled him out as the rival of Seward. It then became only a
question whether the opposition to Seward could or could not unite in
the support of Lincoln.

At this point there came in a political ruse which has been often used
in later years. Seward's friends had taken to Chicago a small army of
claquers, numbering nearly or quite two thousand. These were
distributed through the audience and were apparently under orders to
shout whenever Seward's name was mentioned. This gave the appearance of
spontaneous applause and seemed to arouse great enthusiasm for the
candidate.

Lincoln's friends soon came to understand the situation and planned to
beat their rivals at their own game. They sent out into the country and
secured two men with phenomenal voices. It was said, with playful
exaggeration, that these two men could shout so as to be heard across
Lake Michigan. They were made captains of two stentorian bands of
followers. These were placed on opposite sides of the auditorium and
were instructed to raise the shout at a preconcerted signal and keep it
up as long as desired. The plan worked.

Leonard Swett describes the result: "Caleb B. Smith of Indiana then
seconded the nomination of Lincoln, and the West came to his rescue. No
mortal before ever saw such a scene. The idea of us Hoosiers and
Suckers being out-screamed would have been as bad to them as the loss
of their man. Five thousand people at once leaped to their seats, women
not wanting in the number, and the wild yell made soft vesper
breathings of all that had preceded. No language can describe it. A
thousand steam-whistles, ten acres of hotel gongs, a tribe of Comanches