My intimate acquaintance with Mr. Choate began in this Convention.
I had known him as early as 1842, when he came to Groton and made a
speech in defence of the Whig Party. He was then a member of the
Senate and in the fullness of his powers both intellectual and
physical. In 1853 his physical system was impaired, but his intellect
was as supreme as it had ever been. When I held the office of Governor
I made a visit to Mr. Choate at his house. My associate was Ellis Ames
of Canton. The circumstances were these. The contest with Rhode
Island in regard to the boundary line had reached a crisis. When I
came to office I found upon the Statute Book a resolution directing the
Governor to institute legal proceedings for the purpose of fixing the
boundary unless Rhode Island should agree to proceed by a new
commission. As Rhode Island had remained silent, I directed the
Attorney-General to execute the statute. After some time he informed
me that the preparation of the bill involved a good deal of labor and
that some assistance should be had. He suggested Ellis Ames who had
a reputation as an equity lawyer. Mr. Ames was employed. When the
bill was prepared and submitted to me, I found that a claim was made
to five towns that were originally in the Plymouth Colony, but which
by a decree of the King in Council had been set over to Rhode Island
in 1746.
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