e and the Democratic ticket once. So he could not justly
be charged with being an offensive partisan. He had no experience
in business except in a humble way and in that he had been
unfortunate. Congress and the President could only act under
the restraint of a written Constitution. Everything done
by either must pass the ordeal of the Supreme Court, a majority
of whose members then had no sympathy with a liberal interpretation
of the National powers. The Chief Justice had been a great
Republican leader. But he had quarrelled with Lincoln, and
was an eager aspirant for the Democratic nomination for the
Presidency.

Of the eight years after the inauguration of Lincoln more
than four had been years of actual war and more than five
passed before formal declaration of peace. During all this
time nothing could be considered but the preservation of the
Union. From the end of the War to the accession of President
Grant, Congress and the President had been engaged in a struggle
with each other for power. President Johnson had been impeached
and put on trial before the Senate. So there could be no
important legislation from the summer of 1866 until March,
1869, that did not command the assent of two thirds of both
Houses.

Yet the feeling everywhere among the Republicans in Washington
and throughout the North was of exultant and confident courage.
The strength of the Nation had been tried and not found wanting.
It had overthrown a mighty rebellion. The burden of slavery,
which had hung like a millstone about the neck of the Republic,
had been thrown off. Congress had been triumphant in its
contest with the President. The loyal people of the country
looked to Grant with an almost superstitious hope. They were
prepared to expect almost any miracle from the great genius
who had subdued the rebellion, and conducted without failure
military operations on a scale of which the world up to that
time had had no experience. So the dominant party addressed
itself without fear to the great work before it.

They had to determine on what conditions the States that
had been in rebellion should come back to their place under
the Constitution.

They were to determine on what terms the men who had taken
part in the rebellion should be fully restored to citizenship.

They were to determine the civil and political condition
of more than five million people just set free from slavery.

They were to secure fair elections in