sent us up to Brownsville, Texas.  We met on the way General Sheridan, returning from a tour of inspection of the Rio Grande frontier.  On Sunday, December 9th, we were all at Matamoras, Mexico, where we met General Escobedo, one of Juarez’s trusty lieutenants, who developed to us the general plan agreed on for the overthrow of the empire, and the reestablishment of the republican government of Mexico.  He asked of us no assistance, except the loan of some arms, ammunition, clothing, and camp-equipage.  It was agreed that Mr. Campbell should, as soon as he could get his baggage off the Susquehanna, return to Matamoras, and thence proceed to Monterey, to be received by Juarez in person as, the accredited Minister of the United States to the Republic of Mexico.  Meantime the weather off the coast was stormy, and the Susquehanna parted a cable, so that we were delayed some days at Brazos; but in due time Mr. Campbell got his baggage, and we regained the deck of the Susquehanna, which got up steam and started for New Orleans.  We reached New Orleans December 20th, whence I reported fully everything to General Grant, and on the 21st received the following dispatch: 

Washington, December 21,1866. 
Lieutenant-General Sherman, New Orleans.

Your telegram of yesterday has been submitted to the President.  You are authorized to proceed to St. Louis at your convenience.  Your proceedings in the special and delicate duties assigned you are cordially approved by the President and Cabinet and this department.  Edwin M. Stanton.

And on the same day I received this dispatch

Galveston, December 21, 1866. 
To General Sherman, or General Sheridan.

Will be in New Orleans to-morrow.  Wish to see you both on arrival, on matters of importance.  Lewis D. Campbell, Minister to Mexico.

Mr. Campbell arrived on the 22d, but had nothing to tell of the least importance, save that he was generally disgusted with the whole thing, and had not found Juarez at all.  I am sure this whole movement was got up for the purpose of getting General Grant away from Washington, on the pretext of his known antagonism to the French occupation of Mexico, because he was looming up as a candidate for President, and nobody understood the animus and purpose better than did Mr. Stanton.  He himself was not then on good terms with President Johnson, and with several of his associates in the Cabinet.  By Christmas I was back in St. Louis.

By this time the conflict between President Johnson and Congress had become open and unconcealed.  Congress passed the bill known as the “Tenure of Civil Office” on the 2d of March, 1867 (over the President’s veto), the first clause of which, now section 1767 of the Revised Statutes, reads thus:  “Every person who holds any civil office to which he has been or hereafter may be appointed, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, and who shall have become duly qualified to act therein, shall be entitled to hold such office during the term for which he was appointed, unless sooner removed by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, or by the appointment with the like advice and consent of a successor in his place, except as herein otherwise provided.”