While an earnest partisan he has given an example of independence
of action on several notable occasions. But he always seemed
to be possessed by what seems to prevail among the Republicans
of Maine to a great extent, dislike for what is called sentimental
politics. Mr. Hale always seemed to think that the chief
function of Congress was to provide for an honest, economical,
wise and at the same time liberal public expenditure, to keep
in the old paths and leave other matters alone. He dislikes
new doctrines and new policies. He is specially adverse to
anything like legal restraint. He once in my hearing used
a very felicitous phrase, full of wisdom, "Government by good
nature." John Sherman, who had originally been an earnest
advocate of a liberal National expenditure for education,
joined the ranks of its opponents, putting his opposition
largely on the ground that he was unwilling to trust the Southern
states with the expenditure of large sums of money. He feared
that the money would not be fairly expended, as between the
two races, and that it would be made a large corruption fund
for political purposes.
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