avoided. If the Democratic party
intend to fight on this impeachment, which I believe they do not,
you may count 200,000 men against you in the south. The negroes
are no match for them. On this question, the whites there will be
more united than on the old issue of union and secession. I do
not think the President should be suspended during trial, and, if
possible, the Republican party should not vote on all side questions
as a unit. They should act as judges, and not as partisans. The
vote in the House, being a strictly party vote, looks bad, for it
augurs a prejudiced jury. Those who adhere closest to the law in
this crisis are the best patriots. Whilst the floating politicians
here share the excitement at Washington, the people generally
manifest little interest in the game going on at Washington. . . .

"Affectionately yours,
"W. T. Sherman."

"United States Senate Chamber.}
"Washington, March 1, 1868. }
"Dear Brother:--Your letter of the 25th is received. I need not
say to you that the new events transpiring here are narrowly watched
by me. So far as I am concerned, I mean to give Johnson a fair
and impartial trial, and to decide nothing until required to do
so, and after full argument. I regard him as a foolish and stubborn
man, doing even right things in a wrong way, and in a position
where the evil that he does is immensely increased by his manner
of doing it. He clearly designed to have first Grant, and then
you, involved in Lorenzo Thomas' position, and in this he is actuated
by his recent revolt against Stanton. How easy it would have been,
if he had followed your advice, to have made Stanton anxious to
resign, or what is worse, to have made his position ridiculous.
By his infernal folly we are drifting into turbulent waters. The
only way is to keep cool and act conscientiously. I congratulate
you on your lucky extrication. I do not anticipate civil war, for
our proceeding is unquestionably lawful, and if the judgment is
against the President, his term is just as clearly _out_ as if the
4th of March, 1869, was come. The result, if he is convicted,
would cast the undivided responsibility of reconstruction upon the
Republican party, and would unquestionably secure the full admission
of all the states by July next, and avoid the dangerous questions
that may otherwise arise out of the southern vote in the Presidential
election. It is now clear that Grant will be a candidate, and