This is not a mere assertion, founded on presumption; it is just what the Southern leaders openly avowed, as, insolent and blood-bespattered, they prowled around Washington declaring they had "no regrets for the past, and no guarantees for the future" except hostility to the government. Men do not cease to be public enemies when they are forced to stop for want of power, not for want of will.

Congress declared that the rebel leaders, by their acts of war, had wrought attainder of treason, and they should not be permitted and were not qualified, to participate in public affairs until they had been purged. They were not even legal voters upon federal matters.

This decision was as fatal to the Democracy as was the fall of Richmond and surrender of Lee. President Johnson furiously opposed it, as did, of course, the South and the hungering Democrats of the North.

Johnson and the Democracy held that the South had never been out of the Union, that Congress had no power to prescribe conditions of admission, that the President alone had power over those questions and that Congress was "no Congress, but a body hanging upon the verge of the government."

Thus encouraged, the rebels inaugurated a fearful reign of terror and bloodshed in the South. They defied all federal and military laws and committed outrages and butcheries without number.

Congress and the President came to a dead-lock. Several leading Republicans and loyal Democrats who were patriotic lovers of office and federal patronage, joined with Johnson in this new rebellion against Congress and the Constitution, because they thought if he should win, and they believed he would, the Democracy would be borne triumphantly into power on the backs of the rebel South, and they, having a chance at the first places in the crib, would thrive and fatten

forever on State-sovereignty and the fruits of Southern dom ination.

Thereafter no bill of importance became a law except over the President's veto. Johnson became, as far as he could in time of peace, a worse rebel than Jefferson Davis. The South, which reviled and denounced him in 1864, was now lavish in its praises, extolling him as a "noble patriot” and the "only true friend of constitutional liberty," which meant "liberty" to hold slaves, evade the revenue and defy the federal laws.

He vetoed the Freedmen's Bureau bill, the bill to admit Nebraska with a constitution giving Negroes the right of suffrage; vetoed the reconstruction bills, the tenure-of-office act, and acted as a general obstructionist to the end of his

term.

So gross had Johnson's misdemeanors and serviltiy to rebels become, that in the spring of 1868 the House brought in an exhibit of impeachment against him for violating the tenure-of-office act in suspending Edwin M. Stanton, his secretary of war. He was tried by the Senate, but not legally convicted, because his friends, by means of various influences, secured seven Republicans-Wm. Pitt Fessenden, J. B. Henderson, Lyman Trumbull, P. G. Ross, James W. Grimes, J. S. Fowler, and O. G. Van Winkle-to vote with twelve Democrats, thus making the exact nineteen votes required to prevent formal impeachment.

Congress, however, went forward with the work of reconstruction, and one after another the States lately in rebellion were admitted to the Union with constitutions prohibiting slavery and otherwise conforming to the amendments of the federal Constitution and a Republican form of govern

ment.

Lincoln lived to see the XIII amendment, forever prohibiting slavery, proposed, but it was declared in force by Johnson in December, 1865, after having been ratified by Ala

bama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin-34; and ratified conditionally by Alabama and Mississippi. It was rejected by Delaware and Kentucky.

The XIV article of amendment was proposed by Congress on June 13, 1866, and proclaimed in force on July 28, 1868, after having been ratified by Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin-33.

Of the foregoing thirty-three States, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia, first rejected the amendment but finally ratified it. New Jersey and Ohio rescinded their ratification. No final action was taken by California, and the amendment was rejected by Delaware, Kentucky and Maryland.

Johnson's administration was unfortunate in every aspect. His usurpations and his trucklings to Democracy prolonged the bitterness of the war, retarded Southern progress and conciliation, and encouraged the rebels to defy all federal laws as far as possible, in the hope that whenever the Democrats should again get into power, the consequences of the war would be wiped out.

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CHAPTER XXIV.

CONVENTION OF 1868.

The People's Choice-Pre-disposing Events-A Soldiers' ConventionResolutions--The Veterans Denounce the Republican Friends of Andrew Johnson-Temporary Officers-Four Lists of Committees by States-Permanent Organization-Wm. Pitt Fessenden's Brother-The Soldiers Received-A "Reconstructed Rebel"-Question of Admitting Territories and Unreconstructed States-They are Admitted-Struggle over the Vice-Presidency-No More Johnsons Wanted-Carl Schurz Amends the Platform-Grant Nominated Unanimously-The Vote-Presentation of Candidates for Second Place-Schuyler Colfax Nominated on the Fifth BallotThe Vote-"Let Us Have Peace"-The Democrats, So-called, Meet -A Secession Crowd-Horatio Seymour Nominated-A Roaring Campaign-Vallandigham's Threat-Grant Elected.

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A candidate for the Presidency had been nominated by the loyal people of the United States long before even the call was issued for the Republican National Convention of 1868. It might also be said that the candidate had been elected, so thoroughly united was public sentiment at the opening of that Presidential year.

The convention met in Crosby's Opera House, Chicago, on Wednesday, May 20. Ten thousand prominent generals and statesmen were present, their vast following of laymen swelling the attendance beyond that of 1860.

No one discussed candidates for the first place. There was but one, and nothing remained but to go through the motion of putting him on the ticket. He had been practically nominated for months. The only issues were the Vice-Presidency, the financial portion of the platform and whether

"the seven traitors," as they were harshly termed, who had voted against the impeachment of Andrew Johnson, should be formally read out of the Republican party.

Excitement was intense. General John A. Logan had been assaulted with stones by the Democrats of York, Pennsylvania, as he passed along on his way to Chicago; several Republican members of the Louisiana legislature had recently been assassinated by the Democrats; President Johnson, whose odious administration had aroused the entire North, had just escaped impeachment without a vote to spare, and, it was alleged, by disgraceful means. The people, therefore, were awake and active.

There also assembled in Chicago at the same time, a general convention of soldiers, which was more numerous and not less conspicuous for distinguished men than the regular political gathering. It was presided over by General Lucius Fairchild, of Wisconsin, with such men as Generals John A. Logan, John Cochrane, Alfred Pleasanton and Daniel E. Sickles for vice-presidents, secretaries and other officers. They also had in their midst an object of enthusiastic admiration, "Old Abe," the famous war eagle, which passed through every battle of a four years' campaign with the Eighth Wisconsin regiment. The gallant old bird screamed as the bands played, and was greeted with cheers everywhere.

The soldiers met a few hours in advance of the political convention, and after speeches and songs, adopted resolutions nominating Grant for the Presidency, declaring the Republicans who voted against Johnson's impeachment were unworthy the confidence of a brave and loyal people, and also the following:

Resolved, That for the maintenance of those principles. which underlie our government, and for which we have fought during four years of war, we pledge our earnest and active