States. It thus came to pass that many methods were developed
in different States for choosing senators,--methods that widely
differed in their essential characteristics. Hence there was variety,
and even contrariety, where there should have been only unity and
harmony. These divergent practices had been allowed to develop for
seventy-seven years of the nation's life, when, admonished by the
Stockton case of the latitudinary results to which loose methods might
lead, Congress took jurisdiction of the whole subject. The exercise
of this power was a natural result of the situation in which the
nation was placed by the war. Previous to the civil conflict every
power was withheld from the National Government which could by any
possibility be exercised by the State Government. Another theory and
another practice were now to prevail; for it had been demonstrated to
the thoughtful statesmen who then controlled the Government, that
every thing which may be done by either Nation or State may be better
and more securely done by the Nation. The change of view was important
and led to far-reaching consequences.

Alexander G. Cattell succeeded Mr. Stockton and served in the Senate
with usefulness and high credit until March 4, 1871. He had been all
his life engaged in commercial affairs, but had taken active part in
politics and had held many positions of trust in his native State.
In 1844, at twenty-eight years of age, he was a member of the
Constitutional Convention of New Jersey and made his mark in its
proceedings. His upright character, his recognized ability and his
popular manners had given him a strong hold upon the people of his
State.

William Wright, the colleague of Mr. Stockton, who was unable from
illness to vote on his case, died the ensuing November (1866) at
seventy-two years of age. He served two terms (1843-47) in the House
of Representatives from the Newark district as a Whig, and was a
zealous supporter of Mr. Clay in 1844. He was a wealthy manufacturer,
largely engaged in trade with the South, and the agitation of the
slavery question became distasteful to him. In 1850 he united with the
Democratic party and was sent to the Senate in 1853.

Frederick Theodore Frelinghuysen was chosen as Mr. Wright's successor.
He was in his fiftieth year when he entered the Senate, but was known
as a distinguished member of the New-Jersey bar and had served as
Attorney-General of his State. His grandfather, Fred