three in the
morning before
`` When it comes I shall be pleased to offer my congratulations , '' Birmingham replied , and the remark slightly irritated Livingstone . Could he have seen what happened during the next few hours his sleep would have lost its sweetness . Birmingham went straight to the telegraph office , and sent a cipher despatch to his man of business , ordering him to see the President that night in Washington , and to declare in his name , with all the earnestness demanded by the situation , that the appointment of Livingstone would mean political death to him and immense embarrassment to his party for years . As it would be three in the morning before a reply would reach London , Birmingham went to bed with a good conscience . Thus , while the two young men babbled all night in the hotel , and thought with dread of the fatal hour next morning , wire , and train , and business man flew into the capital and out of it , carrying one man 's word in and another man 's glory out , fleet , silent , unrecognized , unhonored , and unknown . At breakfast Birmingham read the reply from his business man with profound satisfaction . At breakfast the Minister read a second cablegram with a sudden recollection of Birmingham 's ominous words the night before .