There is something irresistibly exciting in the united voice of a great crowd.  For a moment the struggle appeared to resolve itself into a contest of throats and lungs.  Indiana seconded the nomination of Lincoln, and the applause was deafening.  Michigan seconded the nomination of Seward; the New York delegation rose en masse, waved their hats, and joined the galleries in a shout which doubled the volume of any yet given.  Then a portion of the Ohio delegates once more seconded Lincoln, and his adherents, feeling themselves put upon their mettle, made an effort.  “I thought the Seward yell could not be surpassed,” wrote a spectator; “but the Lincoln boys were clearly ahead, and, feeling their victory, as there was a lull in the storm, took deep breaths all round, and gave a concentrated shriek that was positively awful, and accompanied it with stamping that made every plank and pillar in the building quiver.”

The tumult gradually died away, and balloting began.  Here we may note another contrast.  The Charleston Convention was reactionary and exclusive; it followed the two-thirds rule.  The Chicago Convention was progressive and liberal; it adopted majority rule.  Liberal even beyond this, it admitted the Territories and border slave-States, containing only a minority or fraction of Republican sentiment, to seats and to votes.  It was throwing a drag-net for success.  Under different circumstances, these sentimental delegations might have become powerful in intrigue; but dominated as they were by deeper political forces, they afforded no distinct advantage to either candidate.[6]

Though it was not expected to be decisive, the first ballot foreshadowed accurately the final result.  The “complimentary” candidates received the tribute of admiration from their respective States.  Vermont voted for Collamer, and New Jersey for Dayton, each solid[7].  Pennsylvania’s compliment to Cameron was shorn of six votes, four of which went at once for Lincoln.  Ohio divided her compliment, 34 for Chase, 4 for McLean, and at once gave Lincoln her 8 remaining votes.  Missouri voted solid for her candidate, Bates, who also received a scattering tribute from other delegations.  But all these compliments were of little avail to their recipients, for far above each towered the aggregates of the leading candidates:  Seward, 173-1/2; Lincoln, 102.[8]

In the groundswell of suppressed excitement which pervaded the convention there was no time to analyze this vote; nevertheless, delegates and spectators felt the full force of its premonition; to all who desired the defeat of Seward it pointed out the winning man with, unerring certainty.  Another little wrangle over some disputed and protesting delegate made the audience almost furious at the delay, and “Call the roll!” sounded from a thousand throats.