Worcester; William Knowlton, Upton; Alpheus Harding, Athol;
Timothy Merrick, Holyoke; Wellington Smith, Lee; M. B. Whitney,
Westfield.

Of these, three were in favor of Grant, namely, Boutwell,
Eldridge, Marden; two were in favor of Sherman, and one for
Washburn.

The others voted for Mr. Edmunds in the beginning, meaning
to defeat both Grant and Blaine if they could, and were ready
to agree on any man of respectable character and capacity
by whom that defeat could be accomplished.

George F. Edmunds had a high reputation in the country as
an able lawyer, and a faithful and independent Senator. He
had unquestionably rendered great public service in the Senate.
If elected, I believe he would have administered the Presidency
on the principles which a large majority of the people of
Massachusetts hold. He was an excellent debater. He was
very fond of criticising and objecting to what was proposed
by other men. He seemed never so happy as when in opposition
to the majority of his associates. But he possessed what
persons of that temper commonly lack, great capacity for constructive
statesmanship. Any measure of which he was the author would
be likely to accomplish its purpose, and to stand fire.

David Davis, who was President pro tempore of the Senate,
used to say he could always compel Edmunds to vote in the
negative on any question by putting the question in the old
New England fashion, "Contrary-minded will say no," for Edmunds
was always contrary-minded. I once told him, borrowing a
saying of an Englishman, that if George Edmunds were the only
man in the world, George would object to everything Edmunds
proposed.

The morning after the Massachusetts Convention of 1880, when
the convention passed resolutions, proposing Edmunds as a
candidate for the Presidency, and placing me first on the
delegation at large, Edmunds came to me and said, I have no
doubt with absolute sincerity: "I have seen the proceedings
of your convention yesterday. If I know myself, I have no
desire to be President of the United States. I do not think
I am fit for it, and if I were, I should much prefer my present
service as Senator. I would say so in a public letter, but
I suppose the chances of my nomination are so slight that
it might seem ridiculous to decline." I said: "But, Edmunds,
just think of the fun you would have vetoing bills." He smiled,
and his countenance beamed all over with satisfaction at the
idea, and he re