Year: 1875

the republicans even before his quarrel with
Johnson. It is curious to reflect how the
political leaders of those times swing back
from the extreme of denouncing the one
extreme of fostering and fawning upon the
One-man-power in his destined successor
The incense of fsttery which was burned
under the nostrils of Gen. Grant Just then
must have been anything but sweet to a
man of his discernment and good sense;
and it is pleasant to know that
some who were most fulsomely active
In the work were disappointed in
their great expectations of substantial re-
ward. The impeachment project which had
languished for months, was suddenly re-
vived in the House Of Representatives, in
March, 1868, on the appointment of Gen.
Thomas as secretary of war, ad interim. II
took but few days to prepare and present
" articles" and there was an appearance of
grim reality about the matter when the
formal presentation was made at the bar of
the Senate, afew days later. Immediately
invitation, to call on him at any time.
always assured of hearing, or rather of


A TALKING


for my role in his presence was that of audi
tor, and not orator. If talked at all, it was
only after the manner OF a person who pours
a pint OF water down a country pump in





greeting on the first evening after the
ARTICLES" hsd been presented, was as
cordial as ever, and a shade more profane.
Mr.. johnson was anxious to know, so far
as could tell him, what was the general
impression as TO the result. / told him
the impeachers thought they had a
sure thing on conviction, and that
men were already being promised positions
under Ben Wade as the new president; but
that he still had big chance for acquittal in
the personal hostility of Senators Fessenden,
Grimes and Trumbull toward Wade. In
fact, it was not so much the trial of Andrew
johnson as the election of BENJAMIN f.
Wade, and thought there were republicans
enough 20 bolt to secure Wade's defeat.
This may seem now like an extremely un-
judicial view to take of so grave matter,
but observation in Washington makes a
man acquainted with strange ideas OF states
manship. The Juliet we tall in love with
through an opera glass from the dress circle
is not always so adorable when we go be-
hind the scenes and confront the paint, pow
ders, and gewgsws which enter
so largely into the makeup;
and some of our best states.
men. at Washington are liable to the same
criticism. At any rate, as between their
preiudices and their principles, they will al.
ways incline in favor of the former. If the
succession to Andrew Johnson had devolved
upon some man entirely unmixed with the
personal wrangles of the United States SEN
ate in 1868, conviction would have been al
most certain. Mr.. johnson was at first un
willing to believe this; he thought every re-
publican senator hated him worse than ht
hated anybody else. But the sequel shove Cd
his mistake: That night Mr.. Johns on spoke
very freely about


THE PENDING TRIAL.


gathered from his manner and his tone
that so far from being afraid of conviction
he rather courted the martyrdom of it. Re
said that if they convicted him he would
start out through the country with a view
to convicting them before the people. In
his most troublous hours ne never lost faith
in his own ability to show the people that
he was the sole defender of the constitution;
and have always thought that nothing
would have suited him better than to have
walked out OF the white house on a warrant
of conviction, and entered upon another
swing of the circle more elaborate than the
first. On the occasion / refer to-
I spent long time with Mr..
excellent letter forshadowing his line of de,
fense, and anticipating much that was after
ward made public. Never lost heart OF
spirit, Co even appeared to do so, unless the
following incident be taken in proof that be
did: i vas talking with him one Sunday
evening on general subjects OF politics





he, "Do you remember what sort of q
court it was that tried and convicted
Charles ?' i replied ''that, to the best O.
my recollection, it was a court appointed
by parliament, aud composed of member
of that body, officers of the army, and cili
in it7" said Mr.. Johnson. replied that there
were somewhere between sixty and seventy
members In that court. Then he burst out
"And how many of these id scouDdrel.
! are tnere over there?" pointing toward tn,
capitol. l replied that there were ther
| twenty-seven states represented, 'makins
6fty-four senators. "Weil," ne coatinu-d d
'do you recollect what became of the meI
who convicted King Charles-how many o
them died in their beds-and how many RAJ
away from the country alter the restora
tion?" | could not answer this question
directly, but promised to go to the con
gressional library next day and read al
about the subject, in the


''HIsroRY OF THE REGIcIDEs."


''I wish you would" said the president
"and want you to make out a summary c
the thing, and get it into the papers," III
was so anxious on this subjsct that he wa
not willing|to have me send this particuls
letter to Cincinnati, but insisted that j
should be printed in New York paper, S
that II would get back to Washington j
time dto show these id scoundrels wha
fate is in store for them" His request wa
compiled with, and few days later Ne,
York paper solemnly warned the senators G
the tate OF the regicides. The only charg
brought against Johnson by the impeacher
that seemed to give him any personal an
noyance, was that he had used his Office 70
the purposes of his own personal aggrandizs
ment. Ben. Buffers committee had sum
moned one of the clerks of Jay Cookies bank
and had put him through a very close ez
animation as TO Johnson's money matters
but without discovering anything at a
tending to substantiate the charge of pei
sonal corruption. One night be got yer
much excited on this subject, and, drawin
: forth a memorandum book, proceeded =
figure up from it what he had before the wa
what be had received since from all sonrce
and what be then considered himself wortl
He made himself q loser by a consider
able sum. Then he began to figure o
what he supposed General Grant to
J worth. LET me see" said he, "ne WASH
We rth a d-n in 1861; he got so much