35o
TJie Green Bag.
would have been generally considered severe and tedious labor, requiring legal skill and patient study, should have been formed in his younger days, and have always continued. For a period of twenty-two years, he edited and superintended annually a volume of Massachusetts statutes. He subsequently watched the course of legislation in Con gress, and had a thorough knowledge of Federal statute laws. The annotations made in his note-book grew into a large and valuable volume. Owing to his me thodical and persistent labor, the bar can now consult supplements of the revised statutes of the United States, from 1874 to 1895. The plan he adopted has become the settled policy of the publications of Congress. In 1856, Governor Gardner ap pointed Mr. Richardson to the office of judge of probate for Middlesex county. This choice was exceptionally fortunate in the skill and dispatch of business evinced in the office. Among other improvements, finding that the fourteen counties of the State had different probate blanks, Judge Richardson had a meeting of the other jud ges, and an appropriate and uniform blank was proposed and adopted by the supreme court. When the probate court and the court of insolvency were subsequently merged in one, Judge Richardson was cho sen judge of Middlesex. In 1860 he re moved his law office to Boston, and his home to Cambridge; here he might be found for nearly ten years in thorough ap plication to business. Gov. George S. Boutwell was chosen by President Grant, secretary of the United States treasury. The office of assistant secretary was offered to Judge Richardson. At the earnest en treaty of Governor Boutwell, who had known him long and well, he accepted the position. Meanwhile Governor Claflin had offered him the appointment to the bench of the superior court of the state of Massa chusetts. With extreme reluctance, he de clined the honor at home to go to Wash
ington. Secretary Boutwell afterward said of their joint experience for three and a half years, " he contributed largely to what ever of success was attained during my ad ministration of the treasury department." It is well known, that the chief responsi bility of this administration was the reduc tion of the public debt left by the late Civil War. To make the measures adopted successful, required great business enterprise, knowl edge, and tact; and these qualities the assis tant secretary had in great degree. At home and abroad he effected the change of bonds into money at millions of value. When he first went to England on this mission, Ameri can securities were regarded with suspicion. No mere blandishments would have been of any avail; still less, any exhibition of trad ing shrewdness. But his personal far-sighted ness, and thorough uprightness of character won respect; and a change became apparent in the tone of English bankers. There came to be no further difficulty in disposing of United States bonds. Judge Richardson had regarded his residence in Washington as temporary; and a return to the former posi tion on the bench was his preference. When Secretary Boutwell was chosen to fill Wil son's unexpired term in the senate, he re signed his position in the treasury depart ment. William Adams Richardson was ap pointed by President Grant secretary of the treasury, March 17, 1873. His work in this department was always effected as quietly as possible. When the payment was made by Great Britain, of fifteen and a half millions of gold coin, in 1872, of the Geneva Tribunal, it was almost without comment; and nothing said about it by himself, until ten years later, he was requested to write the history of so important an historical event. In 1873 came a terrible panic in the business of the country, as banks, and firms of different kinds, and noted individuals went into insolvency. Overspeculation and inflated trade had brought a fearful crash. Help was solicited from the
