He
answered by asking me, if it were to be offered to him, how
much time would be given to him to consider the matter. Soon
after I was informed by Attorney-General Devens that the President
had offered him the place on the Circuit Bench, and that he
very much desired to accept it. But he thought that, although
the President had put the place at his disposal, he was very
unwilling to have any change in the Cabinet, and doubted whether
he ought to accept the offer unless he were very sure the
President was willing to spare him. One day soon after, President
Hayes sent for me to come to see him. I called at the Attorney-
General's office, told him the President had sent for me,
and that he probably wished to speak about the Circuit Judgeship,
and I wanted to know what he would like to have me say. Devens
said that he should prefer that way of spending the rest of
his life to any other. But the President had done him a great
honor in inviting him to his Cabinet, and he did not wish
to leave him unless he were sure that the President was willing.
I went to the White House.
Pages:
1454
1455
1456
1457
1458
1459
1460
1461
1462
1463
1464
1465
1466
1467
1468
1469
1470
1471
1472
1473
1474
1475
1476
1477
1478