vania, Erastus Wells, Jno F. Benjamin and S. S. Burdett of Missouri were some of the strongest men in the body.

In 1919 I was in Washington and visited the House of Representatives. Congress was then in session, but not a single member of the Forty-first Congress was there. They had all, except myself, crossed the line that divides this from the next world. I saw and talked with Honorable Joe Cannon, "Uncle Joe," and found that he was about two years my senior. He entered the Forty-second Congress as a member and is probably the only one of that Congress living.

An incident occurred during my visit that should not be overlooked. I went over the names of the Forty-first Congress with the hope of finding someone of them still alive. Witcher, of West Virginia, was a young man about my age and a member of that Congress. I knew that President Grant had appointed him soon after he left Congress, a paymaster in the regular army. I had not heard of him in many years but thought that he might be living. The next day I visited the Arlington Cemetery where a brother of my wife, Colonel Levi P. Hunt, is buried and there, in my stroll through the grounds, came across a slab on the side of a walk containing the names of Major Witcher and his wife.

From all that I can learn, I am the only surviving member of that Congress. All of the senators at that time serving, with one exception, are also dead. This burrowing into the dead past is of little interest to the present generation, but it serves to keep fresh in my own life the memories of more than a half century.

The name of the congressman from the district in which I was born in the State of Virginia was Booker. He lived in Henry County, the place of my birth, and had been well acquainted with my father. He was anxious to have me visit him at his home, and I promised to do so upon the adjournment of Congress. This I was prevented from doing by the serious illness of one of my children. Shortly afterwards my brother John (older than I) made a visit to Henry County. I met him after he had returned to Missouri and he censured me for not keeping my promise to Booker. He said I had put Booker to great expense in preparing for my entertainment. I asked him what preparation had been made, and he said, "Why, Booker bought a new bureau." This was a little bit of humor that was enjoyed by my brother and by me as well.

During my term in Congress I appointed two young fellows (both of whom were born and raised in Bowling Green, Pike County) to the Military Academy at West Point, and to the Naval Academy at Annapolis, respectively. Arthur Murray, a son of Judge Samuel F. Murray, went to West Point and Matthew Givens Reynolds, a son of a very dear friend of mine, Dr. Stephen J. Reynolds, went to Annapolis. Both of them graduated with honor. Murray is now a Major General in the United States Army, on the retired list. Reynolds, after serving for two years, resigned from the Navy, studied law, and for years was a leading lawyer of St. Louis. I have always been proud of these two appointments.

While serving in Congress, I introduced and succeeded in having passed a bill authorizing the

building of a railroad bridge across the Mississippi River at Louisiana, Missouri. This measure was bitterly fought by the steam boat interest, which had no objection to a high bridge, but opposed a low or draw bridge.

The traffic of the Chicago and Alton Railroad Company between Chicago and Kansas City passes over that bridge. It is an important link in that great system. The bridge was built in 1873, two years after the authority was given. In the meantime, a railroad was being built from Louisiana west. This line was taken over by the Chicago and Alton, and now forms a part of the through line from Chicago to Kansas City. On this line the first railroad in Pike County was built.

When the track was laid from Louisiana to Bowling Green, a distance of twelve miles, an excursion train composed entirely of flat or mud cars was organized. On board these cars were a number of the citizens of Louisiana, including myself, who went to Bowling Green. Here, for miles around, the old farmers assembled to see a railroad train for the first time. Among those present was my old friend, Johnson Hendrick, of whom I have spoken before. He had lived in Pike County since 1820, but had never seen or ridden upon a railroad car. When we got ready to start back to Louisiana, I invited him to get aboard and go home with me. He accepted the invitation and climbed on to one of the flat cars and sat down on the floor with his feet gathered under him. I told him to move over to the side and let his feet "hang over" and he would be more comfortable. To this he said, "No, I might get my feet caught in the

spokes." He had never known any other than a wagon wheel.

Old "Uncle Johnson" was a great character and knew much more than he professed. Years after this he was at my house in Louisiana when his attention was attracted to a telegraph wire that had been strung along the street I lived on. When told what it was he said, "I thought Mrs. Hunt had got her clothes line a little high." The lady referred to was my wife's mother. He was a good farmer, a good man, and a good friend.

In the "hurly-burly" of railroads, automobiles, prohibition, woman's suffrage and short dresses, it would be better for the country if the simple and plain mode of living, as practiced in the old time, was more in evidence. The presence of "Old Uncle Johnson" in my mind, has led me away from the path I started out to follow in this chapter. I will go back to the political happenings in the State in 1869 and 1870, and the part I took in them.

During the year 1869 and the early part of 1870, a movement was started by and among the republicans to "liberalize the Constitution" and remove from it such features as discriminated against those who had taken part as soldiers in the rebellion, and those who sympathized with the South during the war. This movement among the republicans in the State had a beginning at the State Capital. Four or five men met and discussed the course that should be followed to bring about the success of the movement. Among them were Colonel Wells H. Blodgett of Johnson County, Honorable Theodore Bruere of St. Charles, and myself.

The movement was well under way throughout the State, but had not sufficiently crystallized to become effective. The most influential leaders in the republican party that were in favor of changes in the organic law of the State, so as to remove the disabilities imposed upon Confederate soldiers and their sympathizers, were B. Gratz Brown and Carl Schurz.

The Republican State Convention was called to meet at Jefferson City the latter part of August, 1870. Here the forces "for and against" met. Governor Joseph W. McClurg was a candidate for renomination. He was opposed to the liberal policy advocated by Brown, Schurz and others. He was well supported in his opposition by Honorable Chauncy I. Filley and Congressman Havens of Springfield, D. T. Jewett of St. Louis, and others.

The conflict came and by what the Liberals claimed to be a "packed" convention, the advocates of a liberal policy were defeated. This resulted in "bolt." The Liberals left the hall of the House of Representatives, where the convention was being held, and repaired to the Senate Chamber, where a separate organization was effected. Here, B. Gratz Brown was nominated for Governor on what was then christened the Liberal Republican ticket, and a full ticket was nominated in the House. The regulars nominated Joseph W. McClurg for Governor, and a full ticket then and thereafter known as the Regular Republican ticket. The democrats made no nomination but supported the candidates on the Liberal Republican ticket.

An incident occurred in the regular convention be