Allvotingisasortofgaming，likecheckersorbackgammon，withaslightmoraltingetoit，aplayingwithrightandwrong，withmoralquestions；andbettingnaturallyaccompaniesit。Thecharacterofthevotersisnotstaked。Icastmyvote，perchance，asIthinkright；butIamnotvitallyconcernedthatthatrightshouldprevail。Iamwillingtoleaveittothemajority。Itsobligation，therefore，neverexceedsthatofexpediency。Evenvotingfortherightisdoingnothingforit。Itisonlyexpressingtomenfeeblyyourdesirethatitshouldprevail。Awisemanwillnotleavetherighttothemercyofchance，norwishittoprevailthroughthepowerofthemajority。Thereisbutlittlevirtueintheactionofmassesofmen。Whenthemajorityshallatlengthvotefortheabolitionofslavery，itwillbebecausetheyareindifferenttoslavery，orbecausethereisbutlittleslaverylefttobeabolishedbytheirvote。Theywillthenbetheonlyslaves。
Onlyhisvotecanhastentheabolitionofslaverywhoassertshisownfreedombyhisvote。
IhearofaconventiontobeheldatBaltimore，orelsewhere，fortheselectionofacandidateforthePresidency，madeupchieflyofeditors，andmenwhoarepoliticiansbyprofession；butIthink，whatisittoanyindependent，intelligent，andrespectablemanwhatdecisiontheymaycometo？Shallwenothavetheadvantageofhiswisdomandhonesty，nevertheless？Canwenotcountuponsomeindependentvotes？Aretherenotmanyindividualsinthecountrywhodonotattendconventions？Butno:Ifindthattherespectableman，socalled，hasimmediatelydriftedfromhisposition，anddespairsofhiscountry，whenhiscountryhasmorereasontodespairofhim。Heforthwithadoptsoneofthecandidatesthusselectedastheonlyavailableone，thusprovingthatheishimselfavailableforanypurposesofthedemagogue。Hisvoteisofnomoreworththanthatofanyunprincipledforeignerorhirelingnative，whomayhavebeenbought。Ohforamanwhoisaman，and，asmyneighborsays，hasaboneinhisbackwhichyoucannotpassyourhandthrough！Ourstatisticsareatfault:thepopulationhasbeenreturnedtoolarge。Howmanymenaretheretoasquarethousandmilesinthiscountry？Hardlyone。DoesnotAmericaofferanyinducementformentosettlehere？TheAmericanhasdwindledintoanOddFellow——onewhomaybeknownbythedevelopmentofhisorganofgregariousness，andamanifestlackofintellectandcheerfulself-reliance；whosefirstandchiefconcern，oncomingintotheworld，istoseethatthealmshousesareingoodrepair；
and，beforeyethehaslawfullydonnedthevirilegarb，tocollectafundforthesupportofthewidowsandorphansthatmaybe；who，inshortventurestoliveonlybytheaidoftheMutualInsurancecompany，whichhaspromisedtoburyhimdecently。
Itisnotaman’sduty，asamatterofcourse，todevotehimselftotheeradicationofany，eventhemostenormouswrong；hemaystillproperlyhaveotherconcernstoengagehim；butitishisduty，atleast，towashhishandsofit，and，ifhegivesitnothoughtlonger，nottogiveitpracticallyhissupport。IfIdevotemyselftootherpursuitsandcontemplations，Imustfirstsee，atleast，thatIdonotpursuethemsittinguponanotherman’sshoulders。Imustgetoffhimfirst，thathemaypursuehiscontemplationstoo。Seewhatgrossinconsistencyistolerated。I