singing
attracted the attention of news-hunters for the Press--item gatherers
in the rooms below. Unfortunately one of these gentlemen looked
into the banquet-hall just as Price had predicted the fate of
the reconstruction measures at the hands of the Supreme Court. He
instantly smelt news, and enquired of one of the waiters the name of
the gentleman who had thus proclaimed the action of the Court. The
waiter quietly approached the seat of the Governor, and, whilst he was
looking in another direction, abstracted the card near his plate
which bore my name. Here was, indeed, a grand item for a sensational
paragraph. Straight way the newsgatherer communicated it to a
newspaper in Washington, and it appeared under an editorial notice. It
was also telegraphed to a paper in Baltimore. But it was too good
to be lost in the columns of a newspaper. Mr. Scofield, a member of
Congress from Pennsylvania, on the 30th of January, 1868, asked and
obtained unanimous consent of the House to present the following
preamble and resolution:

"Whereas it is editorially stated in the _Evening Express_,
a newspaper published in this city, on the afternoon of
Wednesday, January 29, as follows: 'At a private gathering of
gentlemen of both political parties, one of the Justices
of the Supreme Court spoke very freely concerning the
reconstruction measures of Congress, and declared in the most
positive terms that all those laws were unconstitutional, and
that the Court would be sure to pronounce them so. Some of
his friends near him suggested that it was quite indiscreet to
speak so positively; when he at once repeated his views in a
more emphatic manner; 'and whereas several cases under said
reconstruction measures are now pending in the Supreme Court:
Therefore, be it--

"_Resolved_, That the Committee on the Judiciary be directed to
enquire into the truth of the declarations therein contained,
and report whether the facts as ascertained constitute such a
misdemeanor in office as to require this House to present to
the Senate articles of impeachment against said Justice of the
Supreme Court; and that the committee have power to send for
persons and papers, and have leave to report at any time."

An excited debate at once sprung up in the House, and in the course of
it I was stated to be the offending Justice referred to. Thereupon the
members for California vouch