876 MELVILLE WESTON FULLER. 



a high position at the bar of IlHnois, but he had not gained a national 

 reputation at the time of his appointment to the Supreme Court. 



As a citizen he was interested in pohtics though he held no political 

 office, and he was a Democrat by conviction, always in sincere sym- 

 path}^ with the principles upon which the government of the United 

 States was founded. He was a man of thorough cultivation and 

 extensive reading, and had acquired a high reputation in Illinois as a 

 speaker before he became Chief Justice. He was frequently called 

 upon to review the books of the day, and his literary judgment was 

 excellent, his taste severe. 



The Chief Justiceship came to him without his knowing that his 

 name was even considered, and the first notice of his appointment was 

 received in April, 1888, when the newspaper man who had been waiting 

 for some time was admitted to his office and said: — 



" Well, Mr. Fuller, can I say that you will accept the appointment? " 



"The appointment, what appointment?" 



"To the Chief Justiceship, surely you have heard?. ..." 



"Not a word." 



President Cleveland, who appointed him explained his selection as 

 follows : 



"When I had to assume the responsibility of appointing a Chief 

 Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States in succession to 

 Morrison R. Waite, my first impulse after the office had been declined 

 by John G. Carlisle, then Speaker of the House, was to tender the 

 office to James C. Carter, or some other eminent advocate or leader 

 of the Bar, or to Mr. Phelps, then our minister to the Court of St. 

 James. Upon consultation with the associate justices I found that 

 some elements generally overlooked had to be considered .... The 

 justices informed me that as the Court could not be enlarged because 

 both public and legal opinion were opposed to this process, the one 

 thing needed was a Chief Justice who would also be a man of efficiency 

 as business manager. This put the whole question before me in a 

 new light, and I delayed the nomination for a time until I could look 

 about and find a lawyer who possessed all the usual qualifications and 

 also this added one. 



This was a determining factor in the choice of Melville W. Fuller, 

 then almost a stranger to me personally." 



In later years Mr. Cleveland looked back upon his choice with great 

 satisfaction, and said that while the Chief Justice had shown himself 

 "an industrious, safe and able judge, he has also commended himself 

 as probably the best business manager ever seen at the head of any 

 of our high Federal courts." 



