His election as Speaker, was followed by his election to the Twenty-
eighth Congress. The southern part of Essex County had been
represented by Leverett Saltonstall, of Salem. He was the candidate of
the Whig Party in 1842, but the votes of the Anti-Slavery men prevented
his election. Mr. Saltonstall was a man of superior abilities and a
perfect gentleman in bearing and conduct. He had been a Federalist
and my impressions were adverse to him. In 1844 he came to the
Massachusetts House of Representatives. He was appointed Chairman of
the Judiciary Committee of which I was a member. All my prejudices
were removed, and I came to admire his qualities as a man, and his
capacity as a legislator.

Upon the organization of the House of Representatives, in 1843, the
two Houses in convention, proceeded to the election of a Governor,
Lieutenant Governor, Council, and heads of the several administrative
bureaus. Marcus Morton, of Taunton, was elected Governor, Dr. Childs
of Pittsfield (Henry H.) was chosen Lieutenant Governor, and of the
subordinate officers all were Democrats.

The nomination of John A. Bolles, for the office of Secretary of the
Commonwealth, gave rise to a singular episode in politics. John P.
Bigelow, of Boston, had held that office for several years. He had
performed the duties acceptably, and there was a difference of opinion
in the Democratic Party as to the expediency of a change. The caucus
decided to make a change. Upon the announcement of the nomination of
Mr. Bolles, Nathaniel Wood, who had been elected a Senator in
convention, from the county of Worcester, left the caucus and the next
day he resigned his seat in the Senate. His peculiarities did not end
with this act. In 1850 he was elected to the House for the year 1851,
as a Coalition Democrat. He voted for Sumner, but he was greatly
annoyed by the charge of the Whigs that there had been an unholy
coalition between a portion of the Democratic Party and the Free-
soilers. In replying to the allegations, he made the counter charge
that there was a coalition between the Whigs and the "old hunker
Democrats" as they were called. They were, in fact, the Democrats
who would not vote for Sumner. A member called upon Wood for the
evidence. This question he had not anticipated, and after staggering
for a reply, he said--"I have seen them whispering together." As legal
evidence the answer was faulty, but in a moral point of view it was not