The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-02

N FEN. HARRISON GREY OTIS, V editor of the Los Angeles Times,
 who, with Gen. John B. Tender son, contributes to the December Gen. tury the second feature of that magazine's After the War series, had a particularly close view of the events that led up to the attempt to unseat President Johnson In the course of his article, which is en- titled "The Impeachment of Andrew John son. Gen. Otis outlines the political events that resulted in clash between Johnson and the northern legislators, and his personal relations thereto. The first of these relations were included in his service as a provost marshal in Virginia in 1865.
 Incidents within my personal knowledge. he says, illustrate the inconvenience caused by the total absence of civil law in the south at that juncture. In June. 1865, I was serving as provost marshal at the town of Harisonburg, in the Valley of the Shenandoah, with instructions to preserve order, gather up various sorts of United States military property scat tered through the country, arrest outlaws and maurauders. and receive the surren- der of, and give paroles to. bands of scat been "in' at the all compelling surrender at Appomattox Court House two months before. The country was honeycombed with stragglers, and was burdened with my unique tasks. Civil government being non- existent, there was not even authori- ty for the issuance of marriage licenses and for the performance of like civic du- ties. One day, in this emergency. I re- ceived personal application from an ar- dent Virginia swain, who announced that he wished to get married, and appealed to me for Instructions as to how to go about the tender though untimely task. Rising to the occasion, told him that would issue him a. license, and according ly did so in my capacity as a captain of the United States Volunteers, and for the time being provost marshal of that dis trict. I wrote out the necessary authori- ty, observing no forms, empowering any minister of the gospel, or any foremr jus tice of the peace under the Confederacy, to perform the ceremony. Then sent the happy lover on his way rejoicing, and as- sumed that the knot was tied with due solemnity. that the couple would live hap oily ever after and rear a family of Vir- ainia children.
 Two great national conventions were held in the year 1866, one at Pittsburg and the other at Philadelphia. The latter, be- ginning on September 3, was Imade up in large measure of Southern loyali4s and other civilians, among whom the tide of patriotism ran high. It made tremen- drous impression upon the country and upon the recalcitrant and dissatisfied south. Among the delegates were Ralph Waldo Emerson, James Russell Lowell. Oliver wendell Holmes. John c. Whit tier, eleven governors. and eight United States senators. Amopg the thousands oi unionists whom I met there was James A. Garfield, who had won his spurs as major general in the field. who subse- ouently served in the House of Represen. tatives, became President. and died that tragic death which history has sadly re- corded. In his joyousness and geniality. he seemed to me like great overgrown boy. While masses of shouting, cheering and singing men were parading through Independence square, within the sound of the Liberty Bell, that big man passed his arms affectionately about the shoulders of a young soldier whom he did not know, and strode proudly along as though the latter had been his lifelong friend. It was enough for Garfield to know that the other was a comrade. l was the obscure young soldier.
 In 1867 an act of Congress was passed depriving tho President of the power to issue an amnensy proclamation. which hs overrode. His disposition and his plans to defy Congress and pursue his own method of reconstructing the south caused Congress to deprive him of the command of the army. 2 bold act. the constitution.