Lincoln and his associate counsel plainly saw the hopelessness of their cause; and they wisely concluded to let their side of the case stand upon its merits, without even a plea of extenuating circumstances.

Voorhees was young, ambitious, and anxious to display his oratory.

He arranged with his colleagues at the beginning that he should make a speech, and he spent several hours in his room at the hotel in the preparation of an oratorical avalanche.

It became generally known that Dan was going to out-do himself, and the expectation of the community was at its highest tension.

The little old court-house was crowded.