Williams, afterwards known as ^Laundalet' Williams
and dismissed by President Grant in disgrace, concluded
five pages of talk with the assertion, ^I believe Andrew
Johnson to be dangerous to the country.'

While thinking of all these events, I had been watch-
ing the aloof figure seated upon the sofa, whose mind
probably had been following a similar channel. He
beckoned to a page and sent the boy to the only sena-
tor present among the nineteen who had voted ^not



134 News Hunting on Three Continents

guilty/ The moment Mr. McCreery was aware of
Senator-elect Johnson's presence, he hastened to wel-
come him. The stately Kentuckian wore a brass-but-
toned swallow-tail coat of perfect fit. The greeting
was frank and hearty. By this time, people in the gal-
lery were alert and the incident occurring on the floor
below became the dominating one in the chamber.
The big Kentucky gentleman towered head and shoul-
ders over the stocky, stooping man from Tennessee.
Still clasping hands, they turned and overlooked the
senators between them and the rostrum upon which the
Vice-President was enthroned. And this same Wilson
had voted 'guilty.'

An eye-stroke of the chamber showed Johnson that
of the thirty-five who had condenmed him, thirteen
were still there. Senator Brownlow, whom Johnson
was to succeed, kept out of sight ; the senator-elect was
not on speaking terms with his prospective colleague,
Mr. Cooper, because of alleged duplicity in the legis-
lative election at which Johnson had been defeated
two years previously.
Johnson affected to be unconscious of the glances
directed upon him from all parts of the chamber.
