AS AMBASSADOR TO GERMANY- 1897-1903 133 



considerations outweigh all others in such appointments, 

 and because this charge was frequently made against 

 President McKinley. The simple fact is that, with the mul 

 titude of nominations to be made, the appointing power 

 cannot have personal knowledge of the applicants, and 

 must ask the advice of persons who have known them and 

 can, to some extent, be held responsible for them. In both 

 the cases above referred to, political pressure of the strong 

 est in favor of other candidates went for nothing against 

 the ascertained interest of the public service. 



The Secretary of State at this time was Mr. John Sher 

 man. I had known him somewhat during his career as 

 senator and Secretary of the Treasury, and had for his 

 character, abilities, and services the most profound re 

 spect. I now saw him often. He had become somewhat 

 infirm, but his mind seemed still clear ; whether at the State 

 Department or in social circles his reminiscences of public 

 men and affairs were always interesting, and one of these 

 confirmed an opinion I have expressed in another chapter. 

 One night, at a dinner-party, the discussion having fallen 

 upon President Andrew Johnson, and some slighting re 

 marks having been made regarding him by one of our 

 company, Mr. Sherman, who had been one of President 

 Johnson s strongest opponents, declared him a man of pa 

 triotic motives as well as of great ability, and insisted that 

 the Republican party had made a great mistake in attempt 

 ing to impeach him. In the course of the conversation one 

 of the foremost members of the House of Representatives, 

 a man of the highest standing and character, stated that he 

 had himself, when a young man, aided Mr. Johnson as sec 

 retary, and that he was convinced that the ex-President 

 could write very little more than his signature. We had all 

 heard the old story that after he had become of age his 

 newly wedded wife had taught him the alphabet, but it was 

 known to very few that he remained to the last so imper 

 fectly equipped. 



Of conversations with many other leading men of that 

 period at Washington I remember that, at the house of my 



