stency in a public man can never
properly be esteemed a virtue when he becomes satisfied that it will
operate to the prejudice of his country. The pride of opinion, which
more or less belongs to us all, becomes, in my judgment, in a public
man, a crime when it is indulged at the sacrifice or hazard of the
public safety." He urged upon the people of the South their acceptance
of the terms proposed by Congress. In view of the probability these
overtures should be rejected, harsher measures would be resorted to.

Mr. Saulsbury expressed his admiration for the wisdom of the President
in "vetoing the most iniquitous bill that ever was presented to the
Federal Congress." "I hope," said he, "that there may be no man within
the limits of these ten States who will participate in his own
disgrace, degradation, and ruin: let them maintain their honor. If
there be wrath in the vials of the Almighty, if there be arrows of
vengeance in his quiver, such iniquity and injustice can not finally
prove successful."

Mr. Hendricks disagreed with the Senator from Delaware that the people
of the South, at once and without consideration, must turn their backs
upon the proposition now made them in order to maintain their honor.
He hoped they would bring to the consideration of the subject the
coolest judgment and the highest patriotism. He was still opposed to
the bill; he approved of the President's veto. His judgment against
the measure had been "fortified and strengthened by that able
document."

The discussion of the question was continued by Messrs. Buckalew,
Dixon, and Davis, who spoke against the bill. The friends of the
measure were content to let the subject go without a further word from
them, save the solemn and final declaration of their votes.

The question being taken, the bill was passed over the veto by a vote
of almost four-fifths. Thirty-eight Senators voted for the bill in its
final passage, and but ten were found willing to stand by the
President and his veto.

The bill whose progress through Congress has thus been traced became a
law of the land in the following form:

"AN ACT to provide for the more efficient government of the
rebel States

"_Whereas_, no legal State governments or adequate
protection for life or property now exists in the rebel
States of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia,
Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Florida, Texas, and
Arkansas; and _wherea