Autobiography of Seventy Years, Vol. 1-2
Produced by Ed Ferris
NEW YORK CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS 1903
Everybody who reads this book through will wonder that a man who ought to be able to tell so much has really told so little.
I have known personally and quite intimately, or have known intelligent and trustworthy persons who have known personally and quite intimately, many men who have had a great share in the history of this country and in its literature for a hundred and thirty years.
In my younger days there were among my kindred and near friends persons who knew the great actors of the Revolutionary time and the time which followed till I came to manhood myself. But I did not know enough to ask questions. If I had, and had recorded the answers, I could write a very large part of the political and literary history of the United States. I never kept a diary, except for a few and brief periods. So for what I have to say, I must trust to my memory. I have no doubt that after these volumes are published, there will come up in my mind matter enough to make a dozen better ones.
I invoke for this book that kindly judgment of my countrymen which has attended everything I have done in my life so far. I have tried to guard against the dangers and the besetting infirmities of men who write their own biography. An autobiography, as the word implies, will be egotistical. An old man's autobiography is pretty certain to be garrulous. If the writer set forth therein his own ideals, he is likely to be judged by them, even when he may fall far short of them. Men are likely to think that he claims or pretends to have lived up to them, however painfully conscious he may be that they are only dreams which even if he have done his best have had little reality for him.
There is another danger for a man who tells the story of great transactions, in which he has taken part, whether legislative, executive, military, or political, or any other, in which the combined action of many persons was required for the result. He is apt to claim, consciously or unconsciously, that he himself brought the whole thing about.
George Frisbie Hoar
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CHAPTER II ROGER SHERMAN AND HIS FAMILY
CHAPTER III SAMUEL HOAR
CHAPTER IV BOYHOOD IN CONCORD
CHAPTER V FAMOUS CONCORD MEN
CHAPTER VI FARM AND SCHOOL
CHAPTER VII HARVARD SIXTY YEARS AGO
CHAPTER IX LIFE IN WORCESTER
CHAPTER X POLITICAL HISTORY OF MASSACHUSETTS FROM 1848 TO 1869
CHAPTER XI THE KNOW NOTHING PARTY AND ITS OVERTHROW
CHAPTER XII ELECTION TO CONGRESS
CHAPTER XIII SUMNER AND WILSON
CHAPTER XIV PERSONALITIES IN DEBATE
CHAPTER XV THE NATIONAL HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES IN 1869
CHAPTER XVII RECONSTRUCTION
CHAPTER XVIII COMMITTEE SERVICE IN THE HOUSE
CHAPTER XIX SALMON P. CHASE
CHAPTER XX ADIN THAYER
CHAPTER XXI POLITICAL CORRUPTION
CHAPTER XXII CREDIT MOBILIER
CHAPTER XXIII THE SANBORN CONTRACTS
CHAPTER XXIV BENJAMIN F. BUTLER
CHAPTER XXV BELKNAP IMPEACHMENT
CHAPTER XXVI ELECTORAL COMMISSION
CHAPTER XXXI SATURDAY CLUB
CHAPTER XXXII THE WORCESTER FIRE SOCIETY
CHAPTER II ROGER SHERMAN AND HIS FAMILY
CHAPTER III SAMUEL HOAR
CHAPTER IV BOYHOOD IN CONCORD
CHAPTER V FAMOUS CONCORD MEN
CHAPTER VI FARM AND SCHOOL
CHAPTER VII HARVARD SIXTY YEARS AGO
CHAPTER VIII 1846 TO 1850. FOUNDATION OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY. DANIEL WEBSTER.
CHAPTER IX LIFE IN WORCESTER
CHAPTER X POLITICAL HISTORY OF MASSACHUSETTS FROM 1848 TO 1869
CHAPTER XI THE KNOW NOTHING PARTY AND ITS OVERTHROW
CHAPTER XII ELECTION TO CONGRESS
CHAPTER XIII SUMNER AND WILSON
CHAPTER XIV PERSONALITIES IN DEBATE
CHAPTER XV THE NATIONAL HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES IN 1869
CHAPTER XVI POLITICAL CONDITIONS IN 1869
CHAPTER XVII RECONSTRUCTION
CHAPTER XVIII COMMITTEE SERVICE IN THE HOUSE
CHAPTER XIX SALMON P. CHASE
CHAPTER XX ADIN THAYER
CHAPTER XXI POLITICAL CORRUPTION
CHAPTER XXII CREDIT MOBILIER
CHAPTER XXIII THE SANBORN CONTRACTS
CHAPTER XXIV BENJAMIN F. BUTLER
CHAPTER XXV BELKNAP IMPEACHMENT
CHAPTER XXVI ELECTORAL COMMISSION
CHAPTER XXVII FOUR NATIONAL CONVENTIONS 1876
CHAPTER XXVIII FOUR NATIONAL CONVENTIONS 1880
CHAPTER XXIX FOUR NATIONAL CONVENTIONS 1884
CHAPTER XXX FOUR NATIONAL CONVENTIONS 1888
CHAPTER XXXI SATURDAY CLUB
CHAPTER XXXII THE WORCESTER FIRE SOCIETY
APPENDIX I
APPENDIX II
CHAPTER II PRESIDENT HAYES
CHAPTER III CABINET OF PRESIDENT HAYES
CHAPTER IV ATTEMPT TO REOPEN THE QUESTION OF THE TITLE TO THE PRESIDENCY
CHAPTER V THE SENATE IN 1877
CHAPTER VI LEADERS OF THE SENATE IN 1877
CHAPTER VII COMMITTEE SERVICE IN THE SENATE
CHAPTER VIII THE RIVER AND HARBOR BILL
CHAPTER IX CHINESE TREATY AND LEGISLATION
CHAPTER X THE WASHINGTON TREATY AND THE GENEVA AWARD
CHAPTER XI THE PRESIDENT'S POWER OF REMOVAL
CHAPTER XII FISHERIES
CHAPTER XIII THE FEDERAL ELECTIONS BILL
CHAPTER XIV CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS AND THE PRESIDENTIAL SUCCESSION BILL
CHAPTER XV PRESIDENT CLEVELAND'S JUDGES
CHAPTER XVI SOME SOUTHERN SENATORS
CHAPTER XVII CUSHMAN KELLOGG DAVIS
CHAPTER XVIII GEORGE BANCROFT
CHAPTER XXII SILVER AND BIMETALLISM
CHAPTER XXIV A REPUBLICAN PLATFORM
CHAPTER XXV OFFICIAL SALARIES
CHAPTER XXVI PROPRIETY IN DEBATE
CHAPTER XXVIII THE BIRD PETITION
CHAPTER XXIX THE A. P. A. CONTROVERSY
CHAPTER XXX THE ENGLISH MISSION
CHAPTER XXXI PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT AND THE SYRIAN CHILDREN
CHAPTER XXXII NATIONAL BANKRUPTCY
CHAPTER XXXIII THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS
CHAPTER XXXIV APPOINTMENTS TO OFFICE
CHAPTER XXXV ORATORY AND SOME ORATORS I HAVE HEARD
CHAPTER XXXVI TRUSTS
CHAPTER XXXVII RECOLLECTIONS OF THE WORCESTER BAR
CHAPTER XXXVIII SOME JUDGES I HAVE KNOWN
CHAPTER XXXIX POLITICAL AND RELIGIOUS FAITH
CHAPTER XL EDWARD EVERETT HALE
CHAPTER II PRESIDENT HAYES
CHAPTER III CABINET OF PRESIDENT HAYES
CHAPTER IV ATTEMPT TO REOPEN THE QUESTION OF THE TITLE TO THE PRESIDENCY
CHAPTER V THE SENATE IN 1877
CHAPTER VI LEADERS OF THE SENATE IN 1877
CHAPTER VII COMMITTEE SERVICE IN THE SENATE
CHAPTER VIII THE RIVER AND HARBOR BILL
CHAPTER IX CHINESE TREATY AND LEGISLATION
CHAPTER X THE WASHINGTON TREATY AND THE GENEVA AWARD
CHAPTER XI THE PRESIDENT'S POWER OF REMOVAL
CHAPTER XII FISHERIES
CHAPTER XIII THE FEDERAL ELECTIONS BILL
CHAPTER XIV CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS AND THE PRESIDENTIAL SUCCESSION BILL
CHAPTER XV PRESIDENT CLEVELAND'S JUDGES
CHAPTER XVI SOME SOUTHERN SENATORS
CHAPTER XVII CUSHMAN KELLOGG DAVIS
CHAPTER XVIII GEORGE BANCROFT
CHAPTER XIX VISITS TO ENGLAND [1860, 1868, 1871]
CHAPTER XX VISITS TO ENGLAND 1892
CHAPTER XXI VISITS TO ENGLAND 1896
CHAPTER XXII SILVER AND BIMETALLISM
CHAPTER XXIII VISITS TO ENGLAND 1899
CHAPTER XXIV A REPUBLICAN PLATFORM
CHAPTER XXV OFFICIAL SALARIES
CHAPTER XXVI PROPRIETY IN DEBATE
CHAPTER XXVII THE FISH-BALL LETTER
CHAPTER XXVIII THE BIRD PETITION
CHAPTER XXIX THE A. P. A. CONTROVERSY
CHAPTER XXX THE ENGLISH MISSION
CHAPTER XXXI PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT AND THE SYRIAN CHILDREN
CHAPTER XXXII NATIONAL BANKRUPTCY
CHAPTER XXXIII THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS
CHAPTER XXXIV APPOINTMENTS TO OFFICE
CHAPTER XXXV ORATORY AND SOME ORATORS I HAVE HEARD
CHAPTER XXXVI TRUSTS
CHAPTER XXXVII RECOLLECTIONS OF THE WORCESTER BAR
CHAPTER XXXVIII SOME JUDGES I HAVE KNOWN
CHAPTER XXXIX POLITICAL AND RELIGIOUS FAITH
CHAPTER XL EDWARD EVERETT HALE
APPENDIX THE FOREST OF DEAN BY JOHN BELLOWS