efforts were against that movement — during the existence of the rebellion his efforts were — directed toward the restoration of the authority of the federal government — And since that authority has been restored — he has been an earnest advocate of the reconstruction measures of Congress." Judge Thomas Settle, who at the time was serving as the newly elected Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of North Carolina, wrote, "Allow me to recommend D. H. Starbuck, as District Attorney for North Carolina. He was appointed to this position, upon the reorganization of the Courts in this state; and has discharged its duties to the satisfaction of the good people of the State. He rendered zealous and efficient aid in reconstructing the State upon its present basis. In the general election of April 1868, he was chosen as one of our Superior Court Judges, but declined that position for the place he now occupies. The [Grant] administration has no warmer friend than Judge Starbuck, and his reappointment would give general satisfaction to our people." Grant eventually did reappoint Starbuck in 1870. When it was decided that the North Carolina District Court should be divided into eastern and western districts, President Grant received a letter of recommendation from David L. Bringle, recommending Starbuck to be replaced on the newley created court by lawyer William H. Bailey. This recommendation, however, fell on deaf ears, as in 1872 Grant appointed Starbuck as the first U.S. attorney for the western district, while his old post in Raleigh, now the eastern district, went to Richard C. Badger. In 1876 Starbuck was replaced in the western district by Virgil S. Lusk. Political activity In 1880, Starbuck was one of ten men appointed to a committee to select Republican delegates from the state of North Carolina to vote in the 1880 National Convention. The other nine members of the committee were lawyer and Collector of the Port of Wilmington W. P. Cannady, former District 1 State Senator from Pasquotank County C. W. Grandy, D. A. Jenkins, James H. Harris, Orlando Hubbs, Col. Lott Williams Humphreys, the state Collector of Internal Revenue Dr. John James Mott, former District 7 Collector Pinkney Rollins, who was at the time of his committee appointment a Clerk in the Loans Division of the Treasury Department, and the committee's chairman Col. Thomas B. Keogh. Before the committee first met on January 29,