en friend, Rheuna." All of which,
of course, was only a little pleasantry which I repeat for the
benefit of those who attended that convention, and knew Lawrence
and Littler well.

James C. Conkling was a prominent lawyer at home, in the days of
Lincoln. He was a zealous Republican and a stanch supporter of
Lincoln; also a lawyer and a business man; but for some reason or
other, I do not know why, he became involved and failed, and the
people, especially the older citizens, insisted that he be appointed
postmaster. I recommended him, and the appointment was made. He
served a term and passed away. His son, Mr. Clinton Conkling, is
now one of the leading attorneys of the city.

Henry Green was noted as a great lawyer. He came to Illinois from
Canada and studied law in Clinton County with the Hon. Lawrence
Weldon, who was a prominent lawyer himself, and for years served
as a member of the Court of Claims at Washington. Weldon was a
lovable character. Green was for some years the partner of Milton
Hay, the firm being Hay, Green, and Littler; it changed later to
Green and Humphrey. While I always believed that Hay was the best
lawyer in the State, many lawyers believed that Green was the ablest
in connection with railroad litigation.

The Hon. O. H. Browning was one of the most prominent men of Illinois
in the early times, and was about Springfield, the capital, a great
deal, attending the Federal Court, and also the Supreme Court of
the State. Browning, Archibald Williams, and Jack Grimshaw were
all three very excellent lawyers, quite prominent in their profession,
as well as associates in the Whig party. Browning was probably
the most prominent of the three. He was appointed by Governor
Yates to succeed Douglas, after the death of the latter, in the
United States Senate. Of course he did not remain there long,
being succeeded, I think, by William A. Richardson, a strong Democrat
of Quincy, and a man of considerable ability. After he went out
of the Senate, Browning was appointed by Andrew Johnson as Secretary
of the Interior. He became a follower of Mr. Johnson, who had
broken with the Republican party, and when he got out of office,
I think he ceased to take any part in politics. He had been talked
about a good deal at one time as the proper man for the Supreme
bench, but as between him and Logan and Davis, Mr. Lincoln decided
in favor of Davis.

It is impossible to mention all the many friends and s