SENATORSHIP AT ALB ANY -1864-1865 103 



Still another senator was James M. Cook of Saratoga. 

 He had been comptroller of the State and, at various 

 times, a member of the legislature. He was the faithful 

 " watch-dog of the treasury, " bitter against every 

 scheme for taking public money for any unworthy pur- 

 pose, and, indeed, against any scheme whatever which 

 could not assign for its existence a reason, clear, cogent, 

 and honest. 



Still another member, greatly respected, was Judge 

 Bailey of Oneida County. His experience upon the bench 

 made him especially valuable upon the judiciary and 

 other committees. 



Yet another man of mark in the body was one of the 

 younger men, George G. Hunger of Rochester. He had 

 preceded me by a few years at Yale, had won respect 

 as a county judge, and had a certain lucid way of pre- 

 senting public matters which made him a valuable public 

 servant. 



Another senator of great value was Henry R. Low. 

 He, too, had been a county judge and brought not only 

 legal but financial knowledge to the aid of his colleagues. 

 He was what Thomas Carlyle called a "swallower of 

 formulas. " That a thing was old and revered mattered 

 little with him: his question was what is the best thing 

 now. 



From the city of New York came but one Republican, 

 William Laimbeer, a man of high character and large 

 business experience; impulsive, but always for right 

 against wrong; kindly in his nature, but most bitter 

 against Tammany and all its works. 



From Essex County came Senator Palmer Havens, also 

 of middle age, of large practical experience, with a clear, 

 clean style of thinking and speaking, anxious to make a 

 good record by serving well, and such a record he cer- 

 tainly made. 



And, finally, among the Republican members of that 

 session I may name the senator from Oswego, Mr. Cheney 

 Ames. Perhaps no one in the body had so large a prac- 



