The Senate is the citadel of American liberty. Its great debates have defined our constitutional rights and duties, and prevented many violations of fundamental law. Here Clay, Calhoun, Webster, Benton, Chase, Sumner, Seward, Harrison, Edmunds, Evarts, Ingalls, Logan, and Wade Hampton, with hundreds of others equally eloquent and equally patriotic, have stood for the right as they saw it, or sold their souls for the mess of pottage. The Republicans sit on the Vice-President’s left and the Democrats on the right. Although differing in ideas of governmental policy, we must believe both sides are actuated by a love of country. The world is beginning to expect the United States to be the final court of appeals in behalf of the lesser nations, especially the other American republics. It is the Senate’s natural destiny, because of its treatymaking power, to facilitate a better understanding between nations, to prevent wrongs, to increase commerce, to secure international peace, and thus to improve the governmental powers of the world. So will our republic be the bridge over which the nations of the earth will enter on a period of universal education and modified self-government. In my youth, on a visit to Washington, I saw Schuyler Colfax preside over the Senate. He was a nervous, restless man, who gave no attention to the Senator speaking, and while he was in the chair the Senate became a noisy, turbulent body. At another time, for a few hours, I saw Henry Wilson, who was Vice-President under Grant’s second term, preside over the Senate. Quiet, self-contained, serene, watchful, attentive, he was an ideal presiding officer. Every battle of life had left its mark on his strong, rugged face. In December, 1885, I came to Washington and remained three years. Vice-President Hendricks had died, and the Senate, which was Republican, was presided over by John Sherman. He was in public life from 1848 to the time of his death, and his name was identified with almost every public measure from that time to the end of the century. He was a man of great wisdom and good judgment, but cold and without any of those qualities which tend to personal popularity. Later, John James Ingalls, of Kansas, was elected President _pro tempore_. Tall, stately, dignified, scholarly, thoughtful, a skilled parliamentarian, it is probable the Senate never had a better presiding officer. When Senator Ingalls occupied the chair the business of the Senate was put through with such celerity and dispatch that a visit to that usually prosy body became interesting. Later, I saw Levi P. Morton, of New York, preside as Vice-President. He was a fine business man who had served his country with honor abroad, but had no training as a presiding officer. He was regarded as fair in his rulings.