a gentleman in manners and education, and as such he always drew the company of gentlemen to his entertainments.  On the occasion mentioned, some of the brightest spirits of Congress were present.  As we took our seats at the table I noticed on the menu a choice collection of wines, Johannisberg among others.  The dinner was sumptuous and admirably served.  Our host saw that the appropriate wine accompanied the successive courses.  As the dinner progressed, and the wine circulated, the wit of the guests sparkled.  Story and anecdote, laughter and mirth abounded, and each guest seemed joyous and happy.  At about eight song had been added to other manifestations of pleasure.  I then concluded that I had better retire.  So I said to my host, that if he would excuse me, I would seek the open air; and I left.

Just at this moment Mr. Rodman M. Price, formerly Governor of New Jersey, made his appearance and exclaimed, “How is this?  I was invited to dinner at eight”—­producing his card of invitation.  “Look again,” said Ward, “and you will see that your eight is a five,” And so it was, “But never mind,” said Ward; “the dinner is not over.  Judge Field has just left.  Take his seat.”  And so Price took my place.  He had been travelling in the Southern States, and had been an observer of the proceedings of various State conventions then in session to frame constitutions under the Reconstruction Acts, which he termed “Congo Conventions.”  To the amusement of the party he gave an account of some curious scenes he had witnessed in these conventions; and wound up one or two of his stories by expressing his opinion that the whole reconstruction measures would soon be “smashed up” and sent to “kingdom come” by the Supreme Court.  The loud mirth and the singing attracted the attention of news-hunters for the Press—­item gatherers in the rooms below.  Unfortunately one of these gentlemen looked into the banquet-hall just as Price had predicted the fate of the reconstruction measures at the hands of the Supreme Court.  He instantly smelt news, and enquired of one of the waiters the name of the gentleman who had thus proclaimed the action of the Court.  The waiter quietly approached the seat of the Governor, and, whilst he was looking in another direction, abstracted the card near his plate which bore my name.  Here was, indeed, a grand item for a sensational paragraph.  Straight way the newsgatherer communicated it to a newspaper in Washington, and it appeared under an editorial notice.  It was also telegraphed to a paper in Baltimore.  But it was too good to be lost in the columns of a newspaper.  Mr. Scofield, a member of Congress from Pennsylvania, on the 30th of January, 1868, asked and obtained unanimous consent of the House to present the following preamble and resolution: