Smyrna times., 1936-06-18
SMYRNA HIGH
SCHOOL is
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State of Delaware. But, in 1883,
after 1 had been at the bar less
than two years, a chanced to enter
another sphere of action, in which
was begun my specific education IN
and for public life; and here again
/ had the good fortune to have as
my preceptor son of Delaware
whose name must be forever Illus
trious in the annals of the State
and the United States-Thomas
Francis Bayard, sometime Secre-
tary of State and later the first
American ambassador. I had
thought of attending some lectures
in Roman Law at the University
of Berlin, and, when this came to
Mr.. Bayard's ears, he suggested
that, instead of going abroad, I
should enter the Department of
State for a time, in order to gain
an acquaintance with the public
service. 1t was, however, soon dis
covered that, before / could enter
the Department of State, an OBJ
struction must be hurdled. The
National Civil Service law had just
come into force, and, although Mr..
Bayard had contemplated the MAX
mig of a special appointment, Mr..
Dorman B. Eaton, the first chair
man of the National Civil Srvice
Commission, insisted that I should
stand an examination; and, as Mr..
Bayard had been one of the
staunchest advocates of the new
law, he felt that he was not in a
position to object. 1 therefore
stood, in June 1885, the first civil
service examination ever held for
entrance into the Department of
State. Many aspirants appeared,
but only four were afterwards GER
titled for appointment, and among
these my name happened to be
found.
Third Assistant u. S. Secretary
In consequence I entered the U.
S. Department of State early in
July, 1885, as law clerk, my desk
being in the Office of Mr.. Alvey A.
Adee, Third Assistant Secretary of
State, who had been in the diplo-
matte service at home and abroad
about fifteen years. A year later
William Hunter, Second Assistant
Secretary of State, for whom that
Office had been specially created,
passed away after fifty-seven
years of invaluable service to the
United States in the conduct of its
foreign affairs. Mr. Bayard asked
me to go with him to Mr.. Hunters
funeral. and on the way he told me
that the President intended the
next day to nominate me to the
Senate for the post of Third As
sistant Secretary of State, while
Mr.. Adee was to be nominated to
succeed Mr.. Hunter. This was the
first and only word spoken to me
on the subject, and it forms part
of the unbroken record of never
having asked for any of the public
positions which / have held. Had
ever entered the primaries, or
been a candidate for office at
popular election, I might have
Jared worse. The Bible tells us
that the wind bloweth where il
listeth. and no one can forecast the
gales Of popular favor or disfavor.
But the successful candidates,
when faced with the responsibilities
of Office. sometimes realize that
they need help: and if, without re-
gard to part allegiance, they came
to me for it, it no doubt was be-
cause / had shown that, if there
was any work to be done, / was
always ready to do it, and that,
once having undertaken it, / let no
consideration of convenience or of
personal comfort or welfare, stand
in the way of performing it. This
was one of the things that I had
been taught. My father had given
LIZ OIL c<AdHlpAC VI IT, anu IIly
teachers had all inculcated the, les
son that nothing worth while could
be attained in this life without
some sacrifice. 1t has been said
that at is a cause, and not the
fate Of cause, that is a glory"
The same sentiment is expressed
in the injunction ''to set the cause
above renown;" and, fortunately.
devotion to cause is likely in the
long run to have its rewards.
Any record of my associations
with Delaware's public men would
be strangely inadequate that failed
to include my staunch and cherish
ed friend, George Gray. AS an all
round advocate, uniting mastery of
the law with argumentative power
in addressing courts and juries. I
have never known his superior. In
the Senate of the United States. in
which he succeeded Mr.. Bayard
when the latter became Secretary
of State his ability was soon recog-
nized; and in 1883 he barely miss
ed, as can personally testify, be-
fnP appOiuted Chief Justice of the