of the intense excitement that took possession of the whole
Union during the memorable Presidential contest of that
year, to confine my activity to writing. I volunteered to
organize a German wing of the local Republican club, and,
although this was no easy task, owing to the stolid
allegiance of my countrymen to the other party, I succeeded
in working up a membership of nearly fifty from the smallest
beginnings. We held frequent meetings, which gave
me the long-desired opportunity to practise public speaking.
I readily got over the first embarrassment, common to all
beginners in that art, and acquired considerable fluency.
I even addressed some gatherings of German voters
especially brought together to listen to me. I was so much
encouraged that I even ventured on two occasions on the bold
experiment of speaking in English before general meetings
of the Republican club. I was well prepared, and, as a
double precaution against failure, spoke but briefly. It
helped me very much to have the opportunity to listen to
a number of prominent politicians and fine speakers from
other States who came to Racine to address mass-meetings.
There were also some very good speakers among the local
leaders, whom I heard regularly in the club. The most
prominent among them was Judge Doolittle, afterwards
United States Senator.
Notwithstanding these political preoccupations, I found time to form a regular connection, as Western political correspondent, with the Neue Zeit, a weekly of the highest aspirations, founded by an enterprising German publisher in New York. It numbered among its contributors all the leading German-American writers, as well as eminent literati and journalists in the old country. It was edited with great care, and every number was replete with fine articles on politics, literature, science, music, and other subjects. I had become acquainted with its editors in New York, and had an ambitious longing to be permitted to write for it. Shortly after reaching Racine, I prepared a long letter on the general political situation in the North-
