The mad act of Booth put them upon their feet and brought them to the front.

They were implacable men, politicians equally of resolution and ability.

Events quickly succeeding favored them and their plans.

It was not alone Johnson's lack of temper and tact that gave them the whip hand.

His removal from office would have opened the door of the White House to Wade, so that strategically Johnson's position was from the beginning beleaguered and came perilously near before the close to being untenable.
Grant, a political nondescript, not Wade, the uncompromising extremist, came after; and inevitably four years of Grant had again divided the triumphant Republicans.