The Democrats sought to evade Vallandigham's words of despair, written into the Chicago platform, by eulogising McClellan, but as the glory of Antietam paled in the presence of Sherman's and Sheridan's victories, they declared that success in the field did not mean peace.
Alexander critiques the Democratic Party's attempts to downplay despair while acknowledging the impact of military victories on public perception.
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He saw the importance of devoting the resources of the State to the reduction of its debt.
Why should we now make any concessions to them?
Indeed, he went a step farther in the way of irreconciliation, preferring Hoffman and Tammany, he said, to "the reckless, red-radicalism which rules the present Congress....
Let us agree to put contentions aside and complete our task.
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