ctive judgment, his tact, his business sense, his love
of justice were felt in every fibre and branch of the great
Interior Department, then including eight great bureaus each
almost important enough to be a Department by itself.

The humblest clerk who complained of injustice was sure to
be listened to by the head of that great Department, who,
with his quick sympathy and sound judgment, would make it
certain that right would be done.

Chandler has little respect for the refinements of speech
or for literary polish. He could not endure Mr. Sumner's
piling precedent upon precedent and quotation upon quotation,
and disliked his lofty and somewhat pompous rhetoric. He
used sometimes to leave his seat and make known his disgust
in the cloak room, or in the rear of the desks, to visitors
who happened to be in the Senate Chamber. But he was strong
as a rock, true as steel, fearless and brave, honest and incorruptible.
He had a vigorous good sense. He saw through all the foolish
sophistries with which the defenders of fiat money, or debased
currency, sought to defend their schemes. He had no mercy
for treason or rebellion or secession. He was a native of
New Hampshire. He had the opinions of New England, combined
with the directness and sincerity and energy of the West.
He had a very large influence in making the State of Michigan
another New England.

He was a sincere, open-hearted, large-hearted and affectionate
man. He was the last man in the world of whom it would be
proper to speak as a member of an intrigue or cabal. His
strategy was a straightforward, downright blow. His stroke
was an Abdiel stroke,

This greeting on thy impious crest receive.

His eloquence was simple, rugged, direct, strong. He had
but a scanty vocabulary. It contained no word for treason
but "treason." He described a lie by a word of three letters.
The character of his speech was that which Plutarch ascribes
to Demosthenes. He was strongly stirred by simple and great
emotions--love of country, love of freedom, love of justice,
love of honesty. He hated cant and affectation.

I believe he was fond of some good literature, but he was
very impatient of Mr. Sumner's load of ornament and quotation.
He had little respect for fine phrases or for fine sentiment
or the delicacies of a refined literature. He was rough and
plain-spoken. I do not think he would ever have learned to
care much for Tennyson or Browning. But the Psalm