Such was the feeling of the times that partisanship could easily masquerade as patriotism.

Republicans still believed that as saviors of the Union they had a prescriptive right to the government.

During the campaign, Eugene Field, the famous Western poet, had given a typical expression of this sentiment in some scornful verses concluding with this defiant notice: These quondam rebels come today In penitential form, And hypocritically say The country needs "Reform!" Out on reformers such as these; By Freedom's sacred powers, We'll run the country as we please; We saved it, and it's ours.
Although the Democratic party had won the Presidency and the House, the Republicans still retained control of the Senate, and they were expected as a matter of course to use their powers for party advantage.

Some memorable struggles, rich in constitutional precedents, issued from these conditions..