The Secretary of the same organization, after I had made a speech in which I had declared my purpose to continue to support Mr.McKinley, in spite of his grievous error in this respect, wrote me a letter crowded with the most fulsome adulation, and declared that my position was as lofty as that of Chatham or Burke.

I could cite many other instances to the same effect.

But what other men think, however respectable they may be, is of course of no importance.

Every man must settle for himself the question of his individual duty.

I could not find that the chance that Mr.Bryan, who had urged the adoption of the Spanish Treaty and had committed himself to the opinion that it was right to do everything we promised to do in that Treaty, would act wisely or righteously if he were trusted with power, or that he could get his party to support him if he were disposed to do so, warranted my running the risk of the mischief he was pledged to accomplish; still less running the risk of giving the government of this country to his supporters for the next four years.