its platform, sought with all its power
to stem the Red Tide of the Blood Feud which John Brown had raised.

Their well-meant efforts came too late.

War is a condition of mind primarily. Its causes are always
psychological--not physical. The result of this state of mind is an
abnormal condition of the nervous system, in which the thoughts and acts
of men are controlled by the collective mind--the mob mind. Indians
execute their war dances for days and nights to produce this mental
state. Once it had been created, the war cry alone can be heard.

This mind, once formed, deliberative bodies cease to exist. The Congress
of the United States ceased to exist as a deliberative body at the
session which followed John Brown's execution.

The atmosphere of both the Senate and the House was electric with hatred
and passion. Men who met at the last session as friends, now glared into
each other's faces, mortal enemies.

L. Q. C. Lamar, the young statesman from Mississippi, threw a firebrand
into the House on the day of its opening.

"The Republicans of this House are not guiltless of the blood of John
Brown, his conspirators, and the innocent victims of his ruthless
vengeance."

Keitt of South Carolina shouted:

"The South asks nothing but her rights. I would have no more, but as
God is my judge I would shatter this republic from turret to foundation
stone before I would take a little less!"

Old Thaddeus Stevens of Pennsylvania scrambled up on his club foot and
with a face flaming with scorn replied:

"I do not blame gentlemen of the South for using this threat of rending
God's creation from foundation to turret. They have tried it fifty
times, and fifty times they have found weak and recreant tremblers in
the North who have been affected by it, and who have retreated before
these intimidations."

He turned to the group of conservative members of his own party with a
look of triumphant taunting. He wanted war. He courted it. He saw its
coming with a shout of joy.

The House was in an uproar. Members leaped from their seats and jammed
the aisles, shouting, cheering, hissing, catcalling. The clerk was
powerless to preserve order.

For two months the bedlam continued while they voted in vain to elect
a Speaker. The new party was determined to have John Sherman. The
opposition was divided but finally chose Mr. Pennington, a moderate of
mediocre ability.

During these eight weeks of senseless wrangling the members b