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56 and the exercise of a vigorous logical faculty his reputation grew steadily throughout his life. One of the earliest, as it was the highest possible, testimonials to his success was given by John Marshall, who when he was called to the bench of his native State turned over to Mr. Breckinridge his unfinished business.

Mr. Breckinridge had been practising law a little more than five years when Mr. Jefferson, at that time Secretary of State under Washington, embraced an opportunity to show his confidence in him in a public manner. Kentucky was in an uncertain temper, and the vacant office of attorney needed a capable man to fill it. The President was casting about for such a man, and finally appointed Mr. Breckinridge. Jefferson wrote to him enclosing the commission and urged him to accept it. He said that the President wished it and had heard him spoken of by others than himself in high terms. Such pressure was too flattering to be easily resisted, but this man was of too noble a nature to yield unwisely to honors even when thrust upon him, and he declined the office, while in later years he accepted the somewhat similar post of Attorney-General of Kentucky when called to it under less outward pressure but with greater promise of usefulness.

Soon after this he again turned his attention to politics and was chosen to represent the district composed of the counties of Albemarle, Amherst, Fluvanna, Goochland, Louisa, Spottsylvania, Orange, and Culpeper, in the third Congress which