s great power and
influence, and jealous of him as a political rival. That some of his
senatorial Republican associates should feel that the best service they
could render their country would be to do all in their power to prevent
such a man from being elevated to the Presidency was, perhaps, perfectly
natural: for while they knew that he was a strong and able man, they
also knew that, according to his convictions of party duty and party
obligations, he firmly believed that he who served his party best served
his country best. In giving expression to his views and convictions, as
he usually did with force and vigor, he was not always considerate of
the wishes and feelings of those with whom he did not agree. That he
would have given the country an able administration is the concurrent
opinion of those who knew him best.

While President Johnson was retained in office he was practically shorn
of the greater part of the power and patronage that attaches to the
office. This was done through the passage of a bill, over the
president's veto, known as the Tenure of Office Act. The
constitutionality of this act, which greatly curtailed the power of the
President to make removals from office, was seriously questioned at the
time, but it was passed as a political necessity,--to meet an unusual
and unexpected emergency that seemed to threaten the peace and
tranquillity of the country and practically to nullify the fruits of the
victory which had been won on the field of battle. The law was repealed
or materially modified as soon as President Johnson retired from office.
The President also vetoed all the reconstruction bills,--bills
conferring suffrage on the colored men in the States that were to be
reconstructed,--that passed Congress; but they were promptly passed over
the veto.

The rejection by the country of the Johnson plan of reconstruction, had
clearly demonstrated that no halfway measures were possible. If the
colored men were not enfranchised then the Johnson plan might as well be
accepted. The Republican or Union white men at the South were not
sufficient in numbers to make their power or influence felt. The
necessities of the situation, therefore, left no alternative but the
enfranchisement of the blacks. It was ascertained and acknowledged that
to make possible the reconstruction of the States lately in rebellion,
in accordance with the plan which had met with the emphatic approval of
the North, the enfranchisement