midnight
State delegations with contradictory requests were poured in upon him , among which that of Massachusetts presented as its only prayer the appointment of Mr. Gore to the Spanish mission . Difficulties were invented to embarrass and worry him . False leads were suggested , and false information carefully mingled with true . A wild dance was kept up under his eyes from daylight to midnight , until his brain reeled with the effort to follow it . Means were also found to convert one of his personal , confidential friends , who had come with him from Indiana and who had more brains or less principle than the others ; from him every word of the President was brought directly to Ratcliffe 's ear . Early on Friday morning , Mr. Thomas Lord , a rival of the late Samuel Baker , and heir to his triumphs , appeared in Ratcliffe 's rooms while the Senator was consuming his lonely egg and chop . Mr. Lord had been chosen to take general charge of the presidential party and to direct all matters connected with Ratcliffe 's interests .