Grolier  himself,  fresh  from  his  triumph  over  religious  heresy
in  his  Church  Convention.  The  note  of  the  conference  be-
came tinged  with  exasperation,  and  certain  gentlemen  seized
the  opportunity  to  relieve  their  pent-up  feelings  on  the  sub-
ject of  the  President  and  his  slavish  advisers,  —  some  of
whom,  before  they  came  under  the  spell  of  his  sorcery,  had
once  been  sound  lawyers  and  sensible  men.  With  the  excep-
tion of  the  great  Banker  himself,  who  made  few  conunents,
Theodore  Watling  was  accorded  the  most  deference;  as
one  of  the  leaders  of  that  indomitable  group  of  senators  who
had  dared  to  stand  up  against  popular  clamour,  his  opinions
were  of  great  value,  and  his  tactical  advice  was  listened  to
with  respect.  I  felt  more  pride  than  ever  in  my  former  chief,
who  had  lost  none  of  his  charm.  While  in  no  way  minimizing
the  seriousness  of  the  situation,  his  wisdom  was  tempered,  as
always,  with  humour ;  he  managed,  as  it  were,  to  neutralize
the  acid  injected  into  the  atmosphere  by  other  gentlemen
present;  he  alone  seemed  to  bear  no  animus  against  the
Author  of  oxu"  troubles ;  suave  and  calm,  good  natured,  he
sometimes  brought  the  company  into  roars  of  laughter — ■
and  even  succeeded  in  bringing  occasional  smiles  to  the


A  FAR  COUNTRY  371

face  of  the  man  who  had  summoned  us  —  when  relating
some  characteristic  story  of  the  queer  genius  whom  the  fates
(undoubtedly  as  a  practical  joke)  had  made  the  chief  magis-
trate of  the  United  States  of  America.  All  geniuses  have
weaknesses ;  Mr.  Watling  had  made  a  study  of  the  President's,
and  more  than  once  had  lured  him  into  an  impasse.  The
case  had  been  appealed  to  the  Supreme  Court,  and  Mr.
