He studied and worked out for himself very abstruse questions, on which he formed his own opinions, usually with great sagacity.

How far he was affected in his position by the desire for public favor I will not undertake to say.

I think the constitution of his mind was such that matters were apt to strike him in much the same way as they were apt to strike the majority of the people of the North, especially of the Northwest, where he was always exceedingly popular.

He maintained very friendly personal relations with some of the more intelligent Southerners, especially with Lamar.

One incident in his relations with Butler was intensely amusing.