“ Any lawyer, who shall even listlessly turn the leaves of the many volumes of opinions of attorney generals in the libraries of the Federal departments, can understand and appreciate how delicate and far-reaching are the questions which come before an attorney general. ”

“ Rhode Island remains the only New England State never represented in any Federal Cabinet and in company with Florida and Texas among Southern States. The early and less known attorney generals were the hardest worked of all, because during the first quarter century of the Federal government all legal questions that concerned the government were embarrassing by reason of their novelty.
Attorney-General Joseph McKenna was born of parents of Irish descent, in Philadelphia, fifty-four years ago, and was brought by them to California when he was twelve years old and there educated. ”

“ Being an Irishman by descent and an earnest American patriot, it was natural that he took early interest in politics and that he was on the Republican side. In his thirty-second year his County sent him to the State legislature, where he so made his mark that his constituents named him for Congress, but he was twice unsuccessful. ”