Senate when I entered it, and was regarded as one of the leaders,
especially on military matters. He was a man of fine ability and
address, brave as a lion and enjoyed an enviable Civil War record.
He was president of the Centennial at Philadelphia and permanent
President of the Republican Convention of 1868, which nominated
General Grant. He was a very ambitious man, and wanted to be
President; several times the delegation from his State presented
his name to national conventions. He had no mean idea of his own
merits; and his colleague, Senator Platt, told me once in a jocular
way that if the Queen of England should announce her purpose of
giving a banquet to one of the most distinguished citizens from
each nation, and General Hawley should be invited as the most
distinguished citizen of the United States, he would take it as a
matter of course.

Senator F. M. Cockrell and Senator George Vest represented Missouri
in the United States Senate for very many years.

Senator Cockrell was one of the most faithful and useful legislators
I ever knew. I served with him for years on the Committee on
Appropriations. That committee never had a better member. He kept
close track of the business of the Senate, and when the calendar
was called, no measure was passed without his close scrutiny,
especially any measure carrying an appropriation. He was a Democrat
all his life, but never allowed partisanship to enter into his
action on legislation. It was said of him that he used to make
one fiery Democratic speech at each Congress, and then not think
of partisanship again. He was not given much to talking about
violating the Constitution, because he knew he had been in the
Confederate Army himself and that he had violated it.

One day Senator George, who was, by the way, a very able Senator
from the South, was making a long constitutional argument against
a bill, extending over two or three days. I happened to be conversing
with Cockrell at the time, and he remarked: "Just listen to George
talk. He don't seem to realize that for four years he was violating
the Constitution himself." Senator Cockrell retired from the Senate
in 1905, his State for the first time in its history having elected
a Republican Legislature.

President Roosevelt had the very highest regard for him, and as
soon as it was known he could not be re-elected, he wired Senator
Cockrell, tendering him a place on either the Interstate Commerce
Commiss