this discovery, which naturally made such men furious with him.
They pursued him with their hatred all his life. Some people
really think that great wealth makes crime respectable, and if it
is pointed out to a wealthy but dishonest man, that he is merely a
common thief, and if in addition, the fact is proved to
everybody's satisfaction, his anger is noticeable.

Along with his serious work in the Assembly, Roosevelt found that
there was a great deal of fun in listening to the debates on the
floor, or the hearings in committees. One story, which he tells,
is of two Irish Assemblymen, both of whom wished to be leader of
the minority. One, he calls the "Colonel," the other, the "Judge."
There was a question being discussed of money for the Catholic
Protectory, and somebody said that the bill was
"unconstitutional." Mr. Roosevelt writes:

The Judge, who knew nothing--of the constitution, except that it
was continually being quoted against all of his favorite projects,
fidgetted about for some time, and at last jumped up to know if he
might ask the gentleman a question. The latter said "Yes," and the
Judge went on, "I'd like to know if the gintleman has ever
personally seen the Catholic Protectoree?" "No, I haven't," said
his astonished opponent. "Then, phwat do you mane by talking about
its being unconstitootional? It's no more unconstitootional than
you are!" Then turning to the house with slow and withering
sarcasm, he added, "The throuble wid the gintleman is that he
okkipies what lawyers would call a kind of a quasi-position upon
this bill," and sat down amid the applause of his followers.

His rival, the Colonel, felt he had gained altogether too much