154 LIVES OF THE PRESIDENTS commanded widespread respect, a sentiment freely expressed when President Grant made him suc cessively secretary of war and attorney-general of the United States. When, after a preparatory course at the Wood ward High school in his home city, William joined the class of 1878 at Yale university, he frankly entered the lists for scholastic honors, and avoided the distractions of competitive athletics, in which, with his powerful muscular equipment, he might have made a mark. Nevertheless, he soon won and always held the good will of his classmates, proofs of which have followed him everywhere through his career. At the close of his four years he stood second in a class of 121, and returned to Cincin nati to study for the bar. On his admission he be came a newspaper law-reporter, to familiarize him self with court procedure. Almost from the start he attracted the notice of the republican party managers, and was made first an assistant county prosecutor and then collector of internal revenue; but neither position afforded him the professional scope he desired, so he went back to private prac tice till called to the assistant county solicitorship. There he was when, in 1887, a vacancy occurred in the superior court, and Governor Foraker, though head of a hostile faction, appointed him to fill it temporarily. When his term expired he was reflected; but in 1890 President Harrison invited
