reticence made him appear still more cautious in that respect.
But in private, among his friends, he did not hesitate to avow his sentiments, and those who knew him best were assured of his sympathy with the prevailing sentiment of the North
, while his official acts satisfied even the most exacting.
He won the entire confidence of Congress as an officer faithful in the administration of law as he had been able in his conduct of the war, and they saw in him the firm supporter of the laws, a barrier against the usurpations and schemes of the Executive
to oppose and nullify the will of the people, as expressed by their representatives.
The bad temper, threatening language, and unscrupulous conduct of Andrew Johnson
, foreboded trouble in some shape as soon as Congress adjourned, and the danger of impeachment, which was then first agitated, should not be imminent.
So satisfied was Grant
that the President
intended to defeat the will of Congress in its reconstruction policy, if not even to do something worse, that he urged members of Congress not to adjourn without provision for reassembling in case of an emergency.
Congress, though it made a partial provision of this kind, relied chiefly upon the passage of laws to restrain the President
The reconstruction act was amended in spite of a veto, and the tenure of office act was passed, designed, among other things, to prevent the removal of Mr. Stanton
, who alone, in the cabinet, supported the congressional policy.
Another act provided that the general of the army should always have his headquarters at Washington
, that he should not be ordered elsewhere, nor be removed, except