ated, the Senator in great anxiety of mind. Throughout
the day, Mr. Lincoln urged almost all who called to go and see Mr.
Fessenden, and press upon him the duty of accepting. Among these, was
a delegation of New York bankers, who, in the name of the banking
community, expressed their satisfaction at the nomination. This was
especially gratifying to the President; and in the strongest manner,
he entreated them to 'see Mr. Fessenden and assure him of their
support.'"(4)

In justification of his choice, Lincoln said to Hay:--"Thinking over
the matter, two or three points occurred to me: first his thorough
acquaintance with the business; as chairman of the Senate Committee
of Finance, he knows as much of this special subject as Mr. Chase; he
possesses a national reputation and the confidence of the country; he is
a Radical without the petulance and fretfulness of many radicals."(5)
In other words, though he was not at heart one of them, he stood for the
moment so close to the Vindictives that they would not make an issue on
his confirmation.

Lincoln had scored a point in his game with the Vindictives. But
the point was of little value. The game's real concern was that
Reconstruction Bill which was now before the Senate with Wade as its
particular sponsor. The great twin brethren of the Vindictives were
Wade and Chandler. Both were furious for the passage of the bill. "The
Executive," said Wade angrily, "ought not to be allowed to handle this
great question of his own liking."

On the last day of the session, Lincoln was in the President's room at
the Capitol Signing bills. The Reconstruction Bill, duly passed by both
Houses, was brought to him. Several Senators, friends of the bill and
deeply anxious, had come into the President's room hoping to see him
affix his signature. To their horror, he merely glanced at the bill and
laid it aside. Chandler, who was watching him, bluntly demanded what he
meant to do. "This bill," said Lincoln, "has been placed before me a few
minutes before Congress adjourns. It is a matter of too much importance
to be swallowed in that way."

"If it is vetoed," said Chandler, whose anger was mounting, "it will
damage us fearfully in the Northwest. The important point is that one
prohibiting slavery in the Reconstructed States."

"That is the point," replied the President, "on which I doubt the
authority of Congress to act."

"It is no more than you have done yourself," retorted Chandler.