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purpose of the investigation； but a person who claimed to
represent one of the leading presses in Washington seemed to
think that consideration of no special importance； and came to
our rooms； virtually insisting on receiving information。 Having
been told that it could not be given him； he took his revenge by
inserting a sensational paragraph in the papers regarding the
extravagance of the commission。 He informed the world that we
were expending large sums of public money in costly furniture； in
rich carpets； and especially in splendid silverware。 The fact was
that the rooms were furnished very simply； with plain office
furniture； with cheap carpets； and with a safe for locking up the
more precious documents intrusted to us and such papers as it was
important to keep secret。 The 〃silverware〃 consisted of two very
plain plated jugs for ice…water； and I may add that after our
adjournment the furniture was so wisely sold that very nearly the
whole expenditure for it was returned into the treasury。
These details would be utterly trivial were it not that； with
others which I have given in other places； they indicate that
prostitution of the press to sensation…mongering which the
American people should realize and reprove。
While I have not gone into minor details of our work； I have
thought that thus much might be interesting。 Of course； had these
reminiscences been written earlier； this sketch of the interior
history of the commission would have been omitted； but now； the
award of the Paris tribunal having been made； there is no reason
why secrecy should be longer maintained。 Never； before that
award； did any of us； I am sure； indicate to any person what our
view as to the line between the possessions of Venezuela and
Great Britain was； but now we may do so； and I feel that all
concerned may be congratulated on the fact that two tribunals；
each seeking to do justice； united on the same line； and that
line virtually the same which one of the most just of British
statesmen had approved many years before。
During this Venezuela work in Washington I made acquaintance with
many leading men in politics； and among those who interested me
most was Mr。 Carlisle of Kentucky； Secretary of the Treasury。 He
had been member of Congress； Speaker of the House of
Representatives； and senator； and was justly respected and
admired。 Perhaps the most peculiar tribute that I ever heard paid
to a public man was given him once in the House of
Representatives by my friend Mr。 Hiscock； then representative；
and afterward senator； from the State of New York。 Seated by his
side in the House； and noting the rulings of Mr。 Carlisle as
Speaker； I asked； 〃What sort of man is this Speaker of yours？〃
Mr。 Hiscock answered； 〃As you know； he is one of the strongest of
Democrats； and I am one of the strongest of Republicans； yet I
will say this： that my imagination is not strong enough to
conceive of his making an unfair ruling or doing an unfair thing
against the party opposed to him in this House。〃
Mr。 Carlisle's talents were of a very high order。 His speeches
carried great weight； and in the campaign which came on later
between Mr。 McKinley and Mr。 Bryan； he； in my opinion； and indeed
in the opinion； I think； of every leading public man； did a most
honorable thing when he deliberately broke from his party；
sacrificed； apparently； all hopes of political preferment； and
opposed the regular Democratic candidate。 His speech before the
working…men of Chicago on the issues of that period was certainly
one of the two most important delivered during the first McKinley
campaign； the other being that of Carl Schurz。
Another man whom I saw from time to time during this period was
the Vice…President； Mr。 Stevenson。 I first met him at a public
dinner in New York； where we sat side by side； but we merely
talked on generalities。 But the next time I met him was at a
dinner given by the Secretary of War； and there I found that he
was one of the most admirable raconteurs I had ever met。 After a
series of admirable stories； one of the party said to me： 〃He
could tell just as good stories as those for three weeks running
and never repeat himself。〃
One of these stories by the Vice…President； if true； threw a
curious light over the relations of President Lincoln with three
men very distinguished in American annals。 It was as follows： One
day； shortly before the issue of the Emancipation Proclamation； a
visitor； finding Mr。 Lincoln evidently in melancholy mood； said
to him； 〃Mr。 President； I am sorry to find you not feeling so
well as at my last visit。〃 Mr。 Lincoln replied： 〃Yes； I am
troubled。 One day the best of our friends from the border States
come in and insist that I shall not issue an Emancipation
Proclamation； and that； if I do so； the border States will
virtually cast in their lot with the Southern Confederacy。
Another day； Charles Sumner； Thad Stevens； and Ben Wade come in
and insist that if I do not issue such a proclamation the North
will be utterly discouraged and the Union wrecked；and； by the
way； these three men are coming in this very afternoon。〃 At this
moment his expression changed； his countenance lighted up； and he
said to the visitor； who was from the West； 〃Mr。 ； did you
ever go to a prairie school？〃 〃No；〃 said the visitor； 〃I never
did。〃 〃Well；〃 said Mr。 Lincoln； 〃I did； and it was a very poor
school； and we were very poor folks；too poor to have regular
reading…books； and so we brought our Bibles and read from them。
One morning the chapter was from the Book of Daniel； and a little
boy who sat next me went all wrong in pronouncing the names of
Shadrach； Meshach； and Abednego。 The teacher had great difficulty
in setting him right； and before he succeeded was obliged to
scold the boy and cuff him for his stupidity。 The nest verse came
to me； and so the chapter went along down the class。 Presently it
started on its way back； and soon after I noticed that the little
fellow began crying。 On this I asked him； 'What's the matter with
you？' and he answered； 'Don't you see？ Them three miserable
cusses are coming back to me again。' 〃
I also at that period made the acquaintance of Senator Gray of
Delaware； who seemed to me ideally fitted for his position as a
member of the Upper House in Congress。 Speaker Reed also made a
great impression upon me as a man of honesty； lucidity； and
force。 The Secretary of State； Mr。 Olney； I saw frequently； and
was always impressed by the sort of bulldog tenacity which had