Itwasacovetedposition。Ididnotmakeanyefforttogeton，and，asfarasIknow，wasputtheremerelybecauseitwasfelttobeinaccordancewiththefitnessofthings。
Averyshortexperienceshowedmethat，astheLegislaturewasthenconstituted，theso-calledpartycontestshadnointerestwhateverforme。TherewasnorealpartydivisiononmostofthethingsthatwereofconcerninStatepolitics，bothRepublicansandDemocratsbeingforandagainstthem。Myfriendshipsweremade，notwithregardtopartylines，butbecauseIfound，andmyfriendsfound，thatwehadthesameconvictionsonquestionsofprincipleandquestionsofpolicy。TheonlydifferencewasthattherewasalargerproportionofthesemenamongtheRepublicansthanamongtheDemocrats，andthatitwaseasierformeattheoutsettoscrapeacquaintance，amongthemenwhofeltasIdid，withtheRepublicans。Theywereforthemostpartfromthecountrydistricts。
MyclosestfriendforthethreeyearsIwastherewasBillyO’Neill，fromtheAdirondacks。Hekeptasmallcrossroadsstore。Hewasayoungman，althoughafewyearsolderthanIwas，and，likemyself，hadwonhispositionwithoutregardtothemachine。HehadthoughthewouldliketobeAssemblyman，sohehadtakenhisbuggyandhaddrivenaroundFranklinCountyvisitingeverybody，hadupsetthelocalring，andcametotheLegislatureashisownmaster。ThereissurelysomethinginAmericantraditionsthatdoestendtowardrealdemocracyinspiteofourfaultsandshortcomings。Inmostothercountriestwomenofasdifferentantecedents，ancestry，andsurroundingsasBillyO’NeillandIwouldhavehadfarmoredifficultyincomingtogether。I
camefromthebiggestcityinAmericaandfromthewealthiestwardofthatcity，andhefromabackwoodscountywherehekeptastoreatacrossroads。Inalltheunimportantthingsweseemedfarapart。Butinalltheimportantthingswewereclosetogether。Welookedatallquestionsfromsubstantiallythesameview-point，andwestoodshouldertoshoulderineverylegislativefightduringthosethreeyears。Heabhorreddemagogyjustasheabhorredcorruption。Hehadthoughtmuchonpoliticalproblems；headmiredAlexanderHamiltonasmuchasIdid，beingastrongbelieverinapowerfulNationalgovernment；andwebothofusdifferedfromAlexanderHamiltoninbeingstoutadherentsofAbrahamLincoln’sviewswherevertherightsofthepeoplewereconcerned。Anymanwhohasmetwithsuccess，ifhewillbefrankwithhimself，mustadmitthattherehasbeenabigelementoffortuneinthesuccess。Fortunefavoredme，whereasherhandwasheavyagainstBillyO’Neill。Allhislifehehadtostrivehardtowringhisbreadfromharshsurroundingsandareluctantfate；
iffatehadbeenbutalittlekinder，Ibelievehewouldhavehadagreatpoliticalcareer；andhewouldhavedonegoodserviceforthecountryinanypositioninwhichhemighthavebeenput。