No man was more seductive in appeal, or more impressive in sedate and stately eloquence.

With his art of persuasion he combined rare skill in evading difficult questions while preserving an appearance of candor.

His speeches were as elusive and illusive as they were smooth and graceful.

In his present series of arguments he labored to convince the country that if the Democrats elected the President they would still be practically powerless, and that apprehension of disturbance and upheaval from their success was unfounded.

He sought also to draw the public thought away from this subject and give it a new direction by dwelling on the cost of government, the oppression of taxes, the losses from the disordered currency and the various evils that had followed the trials and perils through which the country had passed.