486

The Green Bag

show the attitude certain to be assumed by intelligent laymen who have the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the details. We confidently pre dict that with the steady swelling of the stream of discussion which this most important proposal must inevitably evoke, popular sentiment in favor of its execution cannot but gain in strength,

until the last remaining obstacle to its fulfillment will fall to the ground.

As

Mr. Alexander has said of this work of stating the law of the United States in legible black and white, "it has got to be done." It will be done some day anyway, of course, but publicity and discussion can only hasten the day of fulfillment.

UNUSUAL RECOLLECTIONS OF CHIEF JUSTICE FULLER WAS the only person present when Melville W. Fuller received the un ofiicial announcement of his appointment as Chief Justice. I had been playing billiards at the Iroquois Club, the Democratic organization of Chicago, whose principal members were Cleveland men from his first nomination to his last, or as long as any of them lived. > It was this Club which placed Lawyer Fuller before President Cleveland. I do not mean that Mr. Cleveland had never heard of Lawyer Fuller, for the latter was a friend and adviser of William C. Goudy, the great

Chicago.

Of course, the conversation alluded

to was in my line, and I dropped my other

one at once. The President of the Club told me I had heard correctly. Lawyer Fuller's office was not far away, and I never made better time on any news paper tip I ever had. He was seated at the end of a long table-—he never had a desk. The table

was

buried

under legal

documents,

books and correspondence. Of course in my capacity he had known me some time, and he asked me to sit down, following the invita tion with the usual inquiry as to how he might serve me. I asked him if had heard from Washington that day. He was too honest and candid to be diplomatic. He smiled and asked me how I knew he was expecting to hear from Washington. Whatever the reply was he said, as nearly as I recall his words, "'Well,

if you are not too busy you may wait awhile and see what comes." I thanked him and asked him not to allow my presence to interfere with his business. He said "all right," and plunged into a bundle of documents.

Soon after, a Western Union

fast-footer entered and laid a message on the lawyer's desk.

Mr.

Fuller receipted,

and

then resumed his work. He did not open the envelope containing the message for several minutes. After he had read it he handed it to me. It was the unofficial announcement of his nomination as Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court. And it was from "Grover Cleveland." My recollection is that the words "President of the United States" did not appear. When I handed back the message he was

railroad attorney, and Mr. Cleveland's friend

immersed in his legal work in a manner that

and manager in Illinois and adjacent states north and northwest, during the first Cleve land administration. Whatever knowledge President Cleveland had of Lawyer Fuller, was as a lawyer, for Melville Fuller was never a politician. At the Iroquois Club at the time referred to, I overheard a conversation between three of its ofiicers about Fuller's appointment. One of the officers said that President Cleve land would notify Fuller that day of his nomination as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. If a bit of newspaper parlance may be

indicated no concern about the great honor

permitted, I was “doing politics" at the time

on the Democratic morning newspaper in

that had been conferred. I suppose all reporters say things that must appear ridicu lous when the game is over. I recalled after, that I had said to Lawyer Fuller, as I handed him the despatch, “Of course you will accept?" I distinctly recall that he looked at me in his wonderfully kind manner, and that his splen did faoe was aglow as he replied. "What would you advise?" And then I realized how unconsciously I had diminished. Some years later I was in Washington. I called at the Supreme Court chamber. I gave my card to one of the oificers of the great tribunal and then sat downI simply