But the National authority itself, of which the Senate was
a part, was restricted by the narrow construction which prevailed
before the Civil War. During the Civil War everything was
bowed and bent before the military power. After the war ended
the Senate was engaged in a controversy with Andrew Johnson,
during which there could be no healthy action either of the
executive or the legislative branch of the Government. It
was like a pair of shears, from which the rivet was gone.
With the coming in of Grant harmonious relations were established
between the two departments. But the Senators were unwilling
to part with the prerogatives, which they had helped each
other to assert, and which had been wrenched from the feeble
hand of Johnson. What was called Senatorial Courtesy required
every Senator belonging to the party in the majority to support
every other in demanding the right to dictate and control
the executive and judicial appointments from their respective
States. So every Senator had established a following, like
that of the Highland chieftain--"Vich Ian Vohr with his tail
on"--devoted, of course, to the party, but devoted more completely
and immediately to his political fortunes.
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