CHAPTER XVIII. THREE MONTHS IN EUROPE. Short Session of Congress Convened March 4, 1867--I Become Chairman of the Committee on Finance, Succeeding Senator Fessenden--Departure for Europe--Winning a Wager from a Sea Captain--Congressman Kasson's Pistol--Under Surveillance by English Officers--Impressions of John Bright, Disraeli and Other Prominent Englishmen--Visit to France, Belgium, Holland and Germany--An Audience with Bismarck--His Sympathy with the Union Cause--Wonders of the Paris Exposition--Life in Paris--Presented to the Emperor Napoleon III and the Empress Eugenie --A Dinner at the Tuileries--My Return Home--International Money Commission in Session at Paris--Correspondence with Commissioner Ruggles--His Report--Failure to Unify the Coinage of Nations-- Relative Value of Gold and Silver. CHAPTER XIX. IMPEACHMENT OF ANDREW JOHNSON. Judiciary Committee's Resolution Fails of Adoption by a Vote of 57 Yeas to 108 Nays--Johnson's Attempt to Remove Secretary Stanton and Create a New Office for General Sherman--Correspondence on the Subject--Report of the Committee on Impeachment, and Other Matters Pertaining to the Appointment of Lorenzo Thomas--Impeachment Resolution Passed by the House by a Vote of 126 Yeas to 47 Nays-- Johnson's Trial by the Senate--Acquittal of the President by a Vote of 35 Guilty to 19 Not Guilty--Why I Favored Conviction--General Schofield Becomes Secretary of War--"Tenure of Office Act." CHAPTER XX. THE FORTIETH CONGRESS. Legislation During the Two Years--Further Reduction of the Currency by the Secretary Prohibited--Report of the Committee of Conference --Bill for Refunding the National Debt--Amounted to $2,639,382,572.68 on December 1, 1867--Resumption of Specie Payments Recommended-- Refunding Bill in the Senate--Change in My Views--Debate Participated in by Nearly Every Senator--Why the Bill Failed to Become a Law-- Breach Between Congress and the President Paralyzes Legislation-- Nomination and Election of Grant for President--His Correspondence with General Sherman. CHAPTER XXI. BEGINNING OF GRANT'S ADMINISTRATION. His Arrival at Washington in 1864 to Take Command of the Armies of the United States--Inaugural Address as President--"An Act to Strengthen the Public Credit"--Becomes a Law on March 19, 1869-- Formation of the President's Cabinet--Fifteenth Amendment to the Constitution--Bill to Fund the Public Debt and Aid in the Resumption of Specie Payments--Bill Finally Agreed to by the House and Senate --A Redemption Stipulation Omitted--Reduction of the Public Debt-- Problem of Advancing United States Notes to Par with Coin.