I was not intimate with him in Washington. But I met him
in Paris, while he was Ambassador there under President Cleveland's
Administration. I have delightful memories of his hospitality,
especially of one breakfast, where there was but one other
guest beside myself, in a beautiful room overlooking the Seine
and the Place de la Concorde.

If I were to select the one man of all others with whom I
have served in the Senate, who seems to me the most perfect
example of the quality and character of the American Senator,
I think it would be Edward C. Walthall of Mississippi. I
knew him personally very little. I do not now remember that
I ever saw him, except in the Capitol, or in the Capitol grounds.
I had, I dare say, some pleasant talks with him in the Senate
Chamber, or the cloak room. But I remember little of them
now. He rarely took part in debate. He was a very modest
man. He left to his associates the duty of advocating his
and their opinions, unless he was absolutely compelled by
some special reason to do it himself. When he did speak the
Senate listened to a man of great ability, eloquence and dignity.
I once heard him encounter William M. Evarts in debate. Evarts
made a prepared speech upon a measure which he had in charge.
Walthall's reply must have been unpremeditated and wholly
unexpected to him. I think Evarts was in the right and Walthall
in the wrong. But the Mississippian certainly got the better
of the encounter.

It is a remarkable truth, which impresses itself upon me more
and more the longer I live, that men who are perfectly sincere
and patriotic may differ from each other on what seem the
clearest principles of morals and duty, and yet both sides
be conscientious and patriotic. There is hardly a political
question among the great questions that have excited the American
people for the last half century on which we did not differ
from each other. The difference was not only as to the interpretation
of the Constitution, and the welfare of the people, but seemed
to go down to the very roots of the moral law.

Yet what I have just said about him is without exaggeration.
I have the right to believe that he entertained the kindliest
and most cordial feeling of regard for me. Not long before
he died, President McKinley sent for me to come to the White
House. He wished to talk with me about what he should do
in dealing with Cuba. He was then holding back the popular
feeling, and resi