preventing him from rendering a just verdict. I have many
intimate friends both political and personal in that Order,
although I never belonged to it and never sympathized with
or approved of secret societies in a Republic.

My strength was due to the fact that I had in general the
good will of my competitors. So if any one failed to get
a majority it was easy to transfer his strength to me. Perhaps
also there was a feeling, growing out of the fact that I had
had great experience in public speaking at the Bar and in
political meetings, that I might be able to take a prominent
part in the debates in the House, a faculty which all my competitors
lacked, except Mr. Bird. But chiefly I had the advantage
of the good will of my associates in my own profession, a
body whose influence is always justly very powerful and who
were all, with scarcely an exception, my close and strong
friends. I had, beside all that, a great many clients in
every town in the District who had been in the habit of trusting
me with their most intimate and secret concerns, and with
whom I had formed the attachment which in those days used
to exist between counsel and client.

I had said before I went to Europe that if nominated I would
accept the office. I thought it doubtful whether my strength
would permit me to continue my professional work without interruption.
I had no thought of remaining in Congress, if I were elected,
more than one term, or perhaps two. Indeed I did not contemplate
the probability of a nomination as a very serious one.

But almost before I got out of the sight of land the burden
lifted and my health came back. When I got home I was utterly
sick of the whole business. But my friends had been committed
to my support. They claimed that I could not withdraw honorably
after the assurance I had given them before I went away. So,
rather to my disgust, I was nominated on the first formal
ballot. I had not expected the result. I had gone to take
a ride while the Convention was in session. So they were
obliged to wait for me. I was found with some difficulty
and went in and made a brief speech which I ended by saying:
"If I shall fail to satisfy you, the trust you have so freely
conferred you can as freely recall. If I shall fail to satisfy
myself, I shall at least have the comfort of reflecting that
it is by your free choice that this nomination has been conferred.
It has not been begged for, or bargained for, or i