Such conduct weakened his supporters and rejoiced his enemies.

It was expected that Johnson would approve the bill to confer civil rights upon the Negroes, but, goaded perhaps by the speeches of Stevens, he vetoed it on the 27th of March.

Its patience now exhausted, Congress passed the bill over the President's veto.

To secure the requisite majority in the Senate, Stockton, Democratic Senator from New Jersey, was unseated on technical grounds, and Senator Morgan, who was "paired" with a sick colleague, broke his word to vote aye--for which Wade offensively thanked God.

The moderates had now fallen away from the President, and at least for this session of Congress, his policies were wrecked.