Desirous of obtaining an office from the administration of President Arthur, I went to Washington with letters to the President and his Attorney-General. On my arrival, depositing my luggage in my room at Willard’s, I descended to the modest little barber-shop of that hotel, and there, in the hands of a colored barber, I saw our distinguished Secretary of State, the Hon. Frederick T. Frelinghuysen, who, on catching sight of me, exclaimed:
“Halloa, my friend! what brings you here?” He had for years been my lawyer in New Jersey.
I replied: “I want an office.”
“Well, what office?”
I told him what I wanted.
“I hope you do not expect me to get it for you!” he exclaimed.
“Not exactly,” I answered. “My man is the Attorney-General, and I want you to tell me where I can find him.”
“Find him! why, that’s easy enough; there is not another such man in Washington. Where do you dine?”
“Here in this house, at seven.”
“He dines here at the same hour. All you have to do is to look about you then, and when you see an old-fashioned, courtly gentleman of the Benjamin Franklin style, you will see Brewster,” said Mr. Frelinghuysen.