but they are not there more clearly presented by Mill than
they had been presented by Hinckley in the debates of 1842 and 1843 in
the Massachusetts House of Representatives. Hinckley was a bore, but
the object was accomplished through his agency. Since that time such
parties have been permitted to testify, and the day should come
speedily when the laws should be so changed as to allow the husband
and wife to testify in all cases where they happen to be jointly
interested or opposed to each other.

In judicial investigations, all who know anything should be permitted
to speak, and of their credibility the court and the jury should judge.
No one should be kept from the witness-stand upon the ground of
interest or feeling. Interest in a party or a cause may be a
temptation to perjury. In a majority of contests, however, the truth
will be told voluntarily even by interested or infamous persons, and in
cases where the witness indulges in falsehood the skill of attorneys
and the judgment of the court will enable the jury to reach a correct
conclusion.

Frothingham was a student, a fair speaker, but destitute of the
qualities of an orator and too timid for leadership. A parliamentary
leader may, or may not, be a leader of opinion. Mr. Clay was both.
Mr. Webster was a leader in opinion, and whatever leadership was
accorded to him in the Senate of the United States was due to the
recognized fact that he represented a constituency of opinion larger
than his constituency as a senator. In the case of Mr. Sumner that was
more conspicuously true. As a mere parliamentary leader, his standing
was low. He was not fertile in resources; he was not ready in debate;
his arguments rested upon authorities; and these he could not always
command in season for the emergency. But it was admitted that he
either represented a great body of American citizens in opinion, or
that a great body of American citizens would accept his opinions
whenever he made them known.

In competition with the leaders of the Democratic Party of the
Massachusetts House of Representatives in 1842 it was not a hard task
to acquire a fair standing, but in truth I never thought much of the
results of my labors as they might affect my standing.

The Whig side of the House was at once more able and more numerous.
The city of Boston was a Whig city by a large majority. Its members,
about forty, were chosen on one ticket. The list was prepared by the
city commit