SENATOR SHIP AT ALB ANY -1865-1867 129 



and others of great merit. It was clear that Secretary 

 Seward thought that he could establish the popularity of 

 the new administration in the State of New York by 

 means of his own personal influence ; but this proved the 

 greatest mistake of his life. 



On the arrival of the presidential party in New York 

 City, various elements there joined in a showy reception 

 to them, and all were happy. But the scene soon changed. 

 From the city Mr. Seward, with the President, his 

 associates, and a large body of citizens more or less dis- 

 tinguished, came up the Hudson River in one of the finest 

 steamers, a great banquet being given on board. But on 

 approaching Albany, Mr. Seward began to discover his 

 mistake ; for the testimonials of admiration and respect to- 

 ward the President grew less and less hearty as the party 

 moved northward. This was told me afterward by Mr. 

 Thurlow Weed, Mr. Seward 's lifelong friend, and prob- 

 ably the most competent judge of such matters in the 

 United States. At various places where the President 

 was called out to speak, he showed a bitterness toward 

 those who opposed his policy which more and more dis- 

 pleased his audiences. One pet phrase of his soon excited 

 derision. The party were taking a sort of circular tour, 

 going northward by the eastern railway and steamer lines, 

 turning westward at Albany, and returning by western 

 lines ; hence the President, in one of his earlier speeches, 

 alluded to his journey as "swinging round the circle. " 

 The phrase seemed to please him, and he constantly 

 repeated it in his speeches, so that at last the whole matter 

 was referred to by the people at large, contemptuously, as 

 "swinging round the circle, " reference being thereby 

 made, not merely to the President's circular journey, but 

 to the alleged veering of his opinions from those he pro- 

 fessed when elected. 



As soon as the State Senate was informed of the prob- 

 able time when the party would arrive at Albany, a reso- 

 lution was introduced which welcomed in terms: "The 

 President of the United States, Andrew Johnson; the 



I. 9 



