e to present the
name of some Republican whom I desired appointed.

Afterward there were complications with the members of his own
party in Congress, and he sent for me to tell me that Colonel
Morrison, of Illinois, had been recommended by the whole "Free
Trade Party," as he called it, and that he did not see how he was
going to avoid appointing him. I suggested that he give Morrison
something else. He undertook to do so; but Morrison, true to his
independent nature, declined to accept anything else, declaring
that he would like to have the office of commissioner, and if he
could not have that he would accept nothing.

The President sent for me again, and told me he could not satisfy
Morrison, and he did not know how he was going to solve the
complication. I said, in effect, that I had been a Governor of a
State and I knew sometimes that an executive officer had to do
things he did not expect to do, and did not desire to do, but that
he had to yield to party pressure. I ceased insisting upon an
appointment, and allowed Morrison to be named. At the same time
I was a little provoked and out of patience and I added: "Colonel
Morrison knows nothing about the subject whatever. If you are
going to appoint broken-down politicians who have been defeated at
home, as a sort of salve for the sores caused by their defeat, we
might as well repeal the law."

I inquired of him: "Who else are you going to appoint on that
Commission?" I had previously recommended Judge Cooley.

"I will appoint Cooley," promised the President.

"Will Cooley take it?" I asked; to which he replied, "I will offer
any place on the Commission he desires, and will telegraph him at
once."

I expressed my satisfaction with this arrangement. He did telegraph
Judge Cooley, who accepted, and was the first and most distinguished
chairman of the Interstate Commerce Commission.

The Forty-ninth Congress assembled on December 7, 1885, with Thomas
A. Hendricks, Vice-President, presiding in the Senate, John Sherman
having been elected President _pro tempore_. The Senate was still
in the control of the Republicans by a majority of five. The
Democrats had a majority of something like forty in the House, and
elected John G. Carlisle Speaker. This is practically the same
situation that had prevailed during the previous Congress, except
this time the Democrats, in addition to a majority, had the Chief
Executive as well. But they were just as powerless