After citing a number of facts in reference to the case, Lincoln says: "These extracts show that in 1846 General Cass was for the Proviso _at once_; that in March, 1847, he was still for it, _but not just then_; and that in December, 1847, he was _against it_ altogether.

This is a true index to the whole man.

When the question was raised, in 1846, he was in a blustering hurry to take ground for it.

He sought to be in advance, and to avoid the uninteresting position of a mere follower.

But soon he began to see glimpses of the great Democratic ox-gad waving in his face, and to hear indistinctly a voice saying, 'Back! Back, sir! Back a little!' He shakes his head and bats his eyes and blunders back to his position of March, 1847.