Secretary of State and I
knew what a help it was to the committee to have the Secretary meet
with us personally and discuss matters of more or less importance.
We all listened to Secretary Seward with the profoundest respect
and attention; but as I look back on it now, I think that Secretary
Seward probably entertained more than he instructed the members.
He seemed to enjoy attending the sessions.

I thought that it would be a help if we could have Mr. Olney, then
Secretary of State, before us. I suggested to Senator Davis at
one meeting, that Secretary Olney should be invited to come and
explain some question concerning which we seemed to be in doubt.
Senator Davis declined to invite him, and said so in so many words.
Apparently he did not desire any interference or information from
the Executive Department. I felt pretty free to express my opinion
to Senator Davis, and I told him that inasmuch as he did not care
to invite Secretary Olney, I would invite him myself, if he did
not object. I did so, and Secretary Olney, at a subsequent meeting,
met with the committee and very quickly explained the question
under consideration.

Senator Davis was a well recognized authority on international law,
both as a lecturer on that subject and a writer. Judging from his
display of ability, he ought to have been able to write a monumental
work on the subject. But he was an indolent man and contented
himself with publishing merely a little volume containing a _resume_
of his lectures before a Washington college of law. The publication
of this work detracted from, rather than added to, his reputation
as a student and writer.

He was not an orator, but on occasions, in executive session, when
great international questions were before the Senate, I have heard
him deliver wonderfully eloquent speeches. He always commanded
the closest attention whenever he spoke in the Senate, whether in
executive or open session (which latter he only infrequently did,
by the way), and he always exhausted the subject.

President McKinley appointed him a member of the Paris Peace
Commission to frame the treaty of peace with Spain. How well he
performed that service those of his colleagues on the commission
who are still living, can attest. He returned from Paris and had
charge of the ratification of the treaty in the Senate.

I have always believed that Senator Davis's death was the result
of his indolent habits. I do not believe he ever