that occasion,
and I was never prouder of any living man.

So the struggle went on from day to day and year to year, growing
all the time more intense. I have always been disposed to be
conservative; I was then; and it was with profound regret that I
saw the feeling between the President and Congress becoming more
and more strained.

I disliked to follow the extreme radical element, and when the row
was at its height, Judge Orth, a colleague in the House from Indiana,
and I concluded to go and see the President and advise with him,
in an attempt to smooth over the differences. I will never forget
that interview. It was at night. He received us politely enough,
and without mincing any words he gave us to understand that we were
on a fool's errand and that he would not yield. We went away, and
naturally joined the extreme radicals in the House, always voting
with them afterwards.

The row continued in the Fortieth Congress. Bills were passed,
promptly vetoed, and the bills immediately passed over the President's
veto. Many of the bills were not only unwise legislation but were
unconstitutional as well. We passed the Tenure of Office bill; we
attempted to restrict the President's pardoning power; and as I
look back over the history of the period, it seems to me that we
did not have the slightest regard for the Constitution. Some of
President Johnson' veto messages were admirable. He had the advice
and assistance of one of the ablest lawyers of his day, Jeremiah
Black.

To make the feeling more intense, just about this time Johnson made
his famous "swing around the circle," as it was termed. His speeches
published in the opposition press were intemperate and extreme.
He denounced Congress. He threatened to "kick people out of office,"
in violation of the Tenure of Office act. He was undignified in
his actions and language, and many people thought he was intoxicated
most of the time, although I do not believe this.

The radicals in both the House and Senate determined that he should
be impeached and removed from office. They had the votes in the
House easily, and they thought they could muster the necessary
number in the Senate, as we had been passing all sorts of legislation
over the President's veto. When the subject was up, I was doubtful,
and I really believe, strong Republican that I was, that had it
not been for Judge Trumbull I would have voted against the impeachment
articles. I advised with t