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oses； and to the detriment of the peace of the country。
Mr。 Johnson may have been opinionated and headstrong； a characteristic of a great many people of strong convictions of duty and purpose； while the overwhelming numerical strength of the dominant party in and out of Congress made it seemingly indifferent； reckless and inconsiderate of the convictions； as of the rights and prerogatives of the Chief Executive treating him more as a clerk whose sole duty it was to register without suggestion the decrees of Congress。
That Mr。 Lincoln； had he lived； would have pursued much the same policy of reconstruction； is clearly indicated by the established fact that he had determined to adopt precisely the initial measures thereto which Mr。 Johnson did inaugurate and attempt to carry out。 But Mr。 Lincoln's superior ability in statecraft； his rare tact and knowledge of men； and his capacity for moulding and directing public opinion； seeming to follow where he actually led； would doubtless have secured a more favorable result。 And more than all else； it can scarcely be doubted； that the unbounded confidence of the people in his patriotism and capacity to direct public affairs； would have enabled him to dictate terms of reconstruction strictly on the lines he had marked out； and would have commanded the general support of the country； regardless of partisan divisions； notwithstanding the well known fact that at the time of his death there were unmistakable indications of alienation from him of the extreme element of his party because of his conservative views as to the proper methods of reconstruction。
Meantime； in the effort to hamper the President； as far as it was possible for Congress to do； the Tenure…of…Office Act was passed； early in 1867。 The ostensible purpose of that Act was to restrict the authority of the President in the selection of his Cabinet advisers； and his power over appointments generally。 Its specific purpose； at least so far as the House of Representatives was concerned； and measurably so in the Senate； was to prevent his removal of the Secretary of War； Mr。 Stanton； with the manifest if not avowed intent； as the sequel shows； to make that Secretary not only independent of his chief； but also to make him the immediate instrument of Congress in whatever disposition of the Army； or of military affairs generally relating to the government of the Southern States； the majority of Congress might dictate。 In a word； the Congress； in that Act； virtually assumed； or attempted to assume； that control of the Army which the Constitution vests on the President。
The first effort to impeach the President； in 1867； was based upon a general accusation of high crimes and misdemeanors without literal specification。 The second； in 1868； was based upon his alleged violation of the Tenure…of…Office Act； in the removal of Mr。 Stanton。
While it is undoubted； as already shown； that Mr。 Lincoln and Mr。 Johnson were in accord as to the methods to be adopted for the restoration of the revolted States； it was Mr。 Johnson's misfortune that he had not Mr。 Lincoln's capacity for so great and so peculiar a task； though a gentleman of proven patriotism； ability； of a kindly； genial nature； and with record of valuable public service。 Hampered by his lack of political finesse and intricate knowledge of state…craft； and in view of the conditions of that time； and the people with whom he had to deal； it was obvious from the outset that the result of the controversy could hardly be otherwise than disastrous to him。 Mr。 Lincoln would undoubtedly have been met by the same character of opposition； and from the same source。 But there would have been the appearance at least of mutual concession； and while the APPEARANCE of concession would have been on Mr。 Lincoln's side； the actual concession； so far as essentials were involved； would have been on the other。
Mr。 Johnson was a Democrat of pronounced type and profound convictions； and in no sense did he depart from his faith。 He belonged to the school of Jackson and Jefferson。 He had not the electric intuitions and impetuous will of the former； nor the culture and genius of the latter。 He adhered more religiously to the letter of the Constitution than either。 To him it was the one law of supreme obligation； that never ceased its guarantees。 As fittingly expressed by one of his Counsel； Mr。 Groesbeck； in the trial： 〃He was not learned and scholarlynot a man of many ideas or of much speculationbut the Constitution had been the study of his life； and by a law of the mind he was only the truer to that which he did know。〃
As had Mr。 Lincoln； Mr。 Johnson keenly appreciated the importance of the people of the South returning at once to the Union； free and independent American citizens； clothed with all the rights； privileges and obligations common to such。 In his Cabinet Councils； and to a degree supreme in that board sat William H。 Seward； as he had throughout Mr。 Lincoln's administration； than whom the Republic has produced no wiser； more sagacious； or patriotic statesman。 He gave the subject his intense devotion in the maturity of his great powers。
There too； sat Secretary Welles； another of Mr。 Lincoln's advisers； and a devoted friend of the Constitution and the sanctity of the Union。 Each of these men； thoroughly patriotic； and efficient； and untiring in the administration of their respective Departments； had commenced with the deluge of blood； and they now hoped to crown their official careers by a triumphant peace that would Honor their lives and glorify the Nation。 These men had a salutary influence over Mr。 Johnson； and greatly modified the asperities of his disposition。
Mr。 Johnson believed； as did Mr。 Lincoln； that the revolted States were still States of the Unionthat all the pretended acts of secession were null and void； and that the loyal people therein had the right to reconstruct their State Governments on the basis proposed to them first by Mr。 Lincoln； and after him by Mr。 Johnson； and thus the right to representation in the General Government。
It was upon this question that parties divided during the reconstruction period。 Mr。 Lincoln； foreseeing danger in such a division； was anxious to bring those States into such relation that the people generally would consider them as virtually in the Union； without reference to the abstract question。 It was with this view； undoubtedly； that he advocated the admission of Members and Senators whenever one…tenth of the voting population of 1860 should organize State Governments and ask for readmission。 He would not only not countenance； but repelled the doctrine of 〃State Suicide；〃 as it was called； and which came to characterize the methods of reconstruction subsequently adopted。
It is true； that on many occasions Mr。 Johnson charged that the Congress was only a Congress of part of the States； and that its acts were therefore without validity。 Yet he continued to execute those laws； and what to him was a very unpleasant duty； the law which set aside the State Governments organized under his own direction； so that notwithstanding his violent denunciations of the acts of Congress； and his personal opinions； he did not presume to act upon them。 Angry and undignified language was uttered on both sides。 Many of his speeches were violent and in bad taste and temper。 So were a great many speeches uttered by senators and members of the House； and those bodies too often acted upon them。
It is therefore but repeating recorded history to say that Mr。 Johnson was earnestly seeking to carry out Mr。 Lincoln's plan of reconstruction； which was upon consultation with his entire Cabinet； more especially with Mr。 Stanton； adopted by him as the basis for the restoration of the revolted States。
Yet； with these facts of record； that action was afterwards assailed by the Republican leaders in and out of Congress； who assumed to have become Mr。 Lincoln's executors in the work of reconstruction； as not only an abandonment of the plan instituted by him； but a surrender of the issues fought out and the results accomplished by the war just closed notwithstanding very many of these critics of Mr。 Johnson had but a few months before criticised Mr。 Lincoln with quite equal severity for his suggestion of this same method of restoration。
Nor will it suffice to say that； though professing submission and loyalty； the people of the South were still hostile to the Union； and that there was no safety there for Union men。 It is true that there came to be violence and disorder there upon the rejection by Congress of Mr。 Johnson's plan of restoration。
These were the inevitable results of the conditions。 There would also have been disorder and violence in the North and to a far greater degree； had the results of the war been reversedan arbitrary and tyrannical system of restoration insisted uponthe established order of things destroyed homes broken up the people impoverished； and hordes of unscrupulous adventurers swarmed up from the South and overrun the country in pursuit of schemes of political chicanery and personal ambition； peculation and plunder； as was the South after the close of the war。
But when the fight was on； an overwhelmingly partisan House； as a last