When you called me I answered, not only because you did me great honour and laid a definite patriotic duty on me, but because also of my personal loyalty to you and my pride in helping forward the great principles in which we both believe.

But I understood then (and I am sure the subject lay in your mind in the same way) that my service would be for four years at the most.

I made all my arrangements, professional and domestic, on this supposition.

I shall, therefore, be ready to lay down my work here on March 4th or as soon thereafter as meets your pleasure.
I am more than proud of the confidence that you have shown in me.
To it I am indebted for the opportunity I have had to give such public service to my country as I could, as well as for the most profitable experience of my life.

A proper and sympathetic understanding between the two English-speaking worlds seems to me the most important duty of far-seeing men in either country.