204 Reminiscences of 



pleasant for his social advantage, and gave me a last- 

 ing souvenir of his memory. 



I have never had any political aspirations, and 

 never held any public official position except that 

 given me by the United States Secretary of State, Wil- 

 liam H. Seward, in 1867, as commissioner to repre- 

 sent Colorado that year at the World's Exposition at 

 Paris. Though several opportunities in my life have 

 occurred when I could have gained without much 

 exertion some official positions, I have given them no 

 attention, as I have observed that once engaged in 

 political affairs one is apt to be led on and become in- 

 volved in the consequent following, often to experience 

 many perplexities and disappointments, as instanced 

 in the cases of so many, as I have witnessed. 



I have not declined such from possible interfer- 

 ence with business pursuits — as I have always made 

 such a secondary matter — but mainly from a fear 

 that in politics I should lose largely my independ- 

 ence, and probably my ability to prosecute those 

 out-of-door pursuits toward which I am so inclined. 

 I often think, however, when I witness the exertions 

 made by those politically inclined for official positions, 

 of the opportunity which offered itself to me in Colo- 

 rado for obtaining a prominent political position which 

 seemed of easy conquest. At that time Congress had 

 passed, as an apparently political necessity, an en- 

 abling act by which the Territories of Colorado and 

 Nevada could be admitted into the Union and send 

 their senators and representatives. The population 

 of the two Territories was limited and insufficient under 

 the existing law for either of the two to gain State- 

 hood. But Congress passed a special enabling act 



