official. Opening an office in Buckfield, Maine, his native place, in 1861, the autumn of the next year found him located in Boston in the office of Stillman B. Allen, whose partner he later became. He is in 1906 senior partner in the firm of Long & Hemenway. In 1869 he made Hingham, Massachusetts, his place of residence, and here first began to take an active part in politics, beginning his official career as moderator of the town meeting and member of the school committee of Hingham. In 1872 he proved that he was controlled by conviction rather than by party subserviency, making Horace Greeley—the candidate of the Democracy rather than the Democratic candidate—his choice for president. By 1875 Mr. Long's evident ability, his political activity, and his powers of oratory had given him such prominence in his home district, that he was chosen as a candidate for the Massachusetts house of representatives, and duly elected to that body. In this new field of duty he quickly advanced to the position of a leader, gaining such marked prominence that the next year he was elected speaker of the house. As such his judgment, discrimination, and courtesy won him the general approbation of his fellow members, and in the following year he was unanimously chosen a second time for the speakership. In the 1878 session he was reelected with only six adverse votes. The Republicans of Massachusetts had found an able leader in Mr. Long and seemed eager to honor him. In 1877 he was mentioned for governor, but withdrew his name in favor of Alexander H. Rice. In the following year he similarly declined in favor of Governor Talbot, but accepted the nomination for lieutenant-governor, to which office he was elected. The duties of this position were filled by him with such marked ability that in 1879 he was again tendered the nomination for governor. He now accepted and was elected. He filled the gubernatorial chair for three years, and that he did so with general approbation seems shown by the fact that in 1880 he was reelected with a plurality of 52,000, a notable political victory even for Massachusetts. Mr. Long, indeed, made himself highly popular as governor of Massachusetts, and the close of this era in his career was followed by an election to the national house of representatives, in which he served for three terms, 1883-89. During these six years of congressional service the house held no more popular member than John D. Long. His courtesy and urbanity won him friends, while he gained distinction as one of the most polished debaters in that body and as a legislator of ad-
