“Nevertheless,” wrote an inmate of the White House, “the visit of himself and committee here did great good.  They found the President and cabinet much better informed than themselves, and went home encouraged and cheered.”

The Democratic managers had called the national convention of their party to meet on the fourth of July, 1864; but after the nomination of Fremont at Cleveland, and of Lincoln at Baltimore, it was thought prudent to postpone it to a later date, in the hope that something in the chapter of accidents might arise to the advantage of the opposition.  It appeared for a while as if this manoeuver were to be successful.  The military situation was far from satisfactory.  The terrible fighting of Grant’s army in Virginia had profoundly shocked and depressed the country; and its movement upon Petersburg, so far without decisive results, had contributed little hope or encouragement.  The campaign of Sherman in Georgia gave as yet no positive assurance of the brilliant results it afterward attained.  The Confederate raid into Maryland and Pennsylvania in July was the cause of great annoyance and exasperation.

This untoward state of things in the field of military operations found its exact counterpart in the political campaign.  Several circumstances contributed to divide and discourage the administration party.  The resignation of Mr. Chase had seemed to not a few leading Republicans a presage of disintegration in the government.  Mr. Greeley’s mission at Niagara Falls had unsettled and troubled the minds of many.  The Democrats, not having as yet appointed a candidate or formulated a platform, were free to devote all their leisure to attacks upon the administration.  The rebel emissaries in Canada, being in thorough concert with the leading peace men of the North, redoubled their efforts to disturb the public tranquility, and not without success.  In the midst of these discouraging circumstances the manifesto of Wade and Davis had appeared to add its depressing influence to the general gloom.

Mr. Lincoln realized to the full the tremendous issues of the campaign.  Asked in August by a friend who noted his worn looks, if he could not go away for a fortnight’s rest, he replied: 

“I cannot fly from my thoughts—­my solicitude for this great country follows me wherever I go.  I do not think it is personal vanity or ambition, though I am not free from these infirmities, but I cannot but feel that the weal or woe of this great nation will be decided in November.  There is no program offered by any wing of the Democratic party, but that must result in the permanent destruction of the Union.”

“But, Mr. President,” his friend objected, “General McClellan is in favor of crushing out this rebellion by force.  He will be the Chicago candidate.”