Page:The autobiography of a Pennsylvanian.djvu/192

 said the pig, “but the damned fool don't know where he is going.”

The application to Woodford's course was pointed.

Whether or not it can be claimed for any man that he brought about the nomination of the President of the United States, that result always being the outcome of the play of forces in existence at the time, certain it is that while three hundred and six stalwarts stood by Grant to the end, Grier began to vote for Garfield on the second ballot and continued until over a hundred had been cast and until the convention accepted that candidate. In a published interview, a day or two later, he said that Barker “had as much to do as any other individual in bringing about the nomination of Garfield.” The League thereupon issued a circular, written by me, calling upon the independent voters to support the nominee of the party. After the election Barker looked forward to being appointed Secretary of the Treasury and I have seen a letter of James G. Blaine, who became Secretary of State, giving his assent to the proposition. For several years Barker had been the agent of the Government of Russia in securing the construction of vessels of war, and in 1880, after the convention, he went over to that country for the purpose of making arrangements to build railroads there, and while there the Czar decorated him with the insignia of some order of distinction. He took MacVeagh with him as his counsel and while en route confided his ambitions and was pleased to learn that in the opinion of MacVeagh no other course was open to Garfield. Before they started MacVeagh suggested that they take their wives with them, to which Barker assented. After their return, MacVeagh sent a bill for counsel fees and expenses, including those of his wife, and said Barker to me: “I did not want to raise a question with him at that juncture, and like a fool I paid them all.” Then MacVeagh became Attorney General and a member of the Cabinet. The reason, of course, was quite plain and it ought to have been 178