d the spirit of the Republican party, and that, if carried into
effect, the legitimate fruits of the bloody struggle which had
afflicted the Nation would be lost to posterity, the laws of humanity
would be violated, and a fresh rebellion against National authority
would be invited. The ancient maxim, that the voice of the people is
the voice of God, is illogical in its direct statement, and like all
adages it covers both a truth and an untruth. Its truth was now
signally vindicated, when, against the authority of those in high
places, against the instruction of those who had always before been
trusted, the mass of the Republican party stood with heroic firmness
for what they believed to be right. They stood against the seductions
of patronage in the hands of the President whom they had elected, and
against the eloquent pleadings of the Secretary of State who for ten
years before the war had been their sagacious guide, their profound
philosopher, their trusted friend.

It was this common instinct and prompt expression by the people which
rescued Congress from the danger of injurious complication. The first
test in the Senate, as to the solidity of the Republican party, was
made on the 12th of December, when the resolution to form a select
committee of reconstruction, passed by the House on the first day of
the session, came up for consideration. It was amended on the motion
of Mr. Anthony, by striking out that portion of it which provided that
no member should be received into either House from the so-called
Confederate States until the report of the committee was received and
acted upon. This was held to impinge on the power of each House to be
the judge of its own elections, and was expunged by general consent.
On the propriety of the resolution thus amended a brief debate
occurred, which to a certain extent enabled senators to define their
position; and before it was concluded it was made evident that Mr.
Cowan of Pennsylvania, Mr. Dixon of Connecticut, and Mr. Doolittle of
Wisconsin, would separate from the mass of their Republican associates,
would support the reconstruction policy of the President, and would
ultimately become merged in the Democratic party. Mr. Norton of
Minnesota not long afterwards became one of the supporters of the
President, making a net loss of four to the Republican side of the
chamber. The Senate, at that time, contained fifty members, twenty-five
States being represented. Of this