the practice of law at Portland. Elected a member of the constitutional convention, he was made chairman of the judiciary committee of that body, and bore a leading part in bringing the constitution of the state into its digested and settled form. Approach of the Civil War drew his attention largely to politics. A man of national scope of vision, and an anti-slavery man from the beginning, he threw all his force in favor of the war for maintenance of the Union; and his ability and earnestness brought him the natural reward of election to the Senate of the United States. In this position he at once obtained national recognition. Besides his constant and great services to Oregon, he rose at once to a most important place in the direction of national affairs; he originated many of the measures employed in the reconstruction of the Union, including the Fourteenth Amendment, most important of all. But, owing to the advent into Oregon of great numbers of people, mostly from the South, following the Civil War, the Republican party in the state was for a time overborne; and of course a Democratic party majority in the legislature would not re-elect him. He was, however, immediately after the expiration of his term, appointed by President Grant a member of the commission to frame a treaty for settlement of the Alabama claims, in dispute with Great Britain. In this position his counsels were of high value. A little later President Grant made him Attorney-General of the United States; and in 1874 presented his name for the great office of chief justice of the Supreme Court. The miserable contention that arose over this nomination was due to sectional and social jealousies. Though the confirmation was delayed, it was known that it would carry; but Judge Williams, with a magnanimity that ever was one of his characteristics, caused President Grant to withdraw his name. In the electoral contest of 1876-77 the counsels of Judge Williams were of greatest value. He sent to the Washington Star an article which outlined the expedient and policy of an electoral commission, and which was adopted with but little variation from his tentative plan. After retiring from office at Wash-
