rdon by proclamation just as freely
after its enactment as before.

[NOTE.--"Pocketing a bill" is the phrase commonly used to describe the
President's course when he permits a bill which reaches him within the
last ten days of the session, to die without action on his part. It
is frequently termed the "pocket veto."]

[(1) The original Reconstruction Act and the several supplementary Acts
are given in full in Appendix A.]

[(2) The full text of the Act to regulate the tenure of certain civil
offices, is given in Appendix B.]

CHAPTER XII.

The Fortieth Congress met at the very moment the Thirty-ninth
closed--on the fourth day of March, 1867. The valedictory words of the
presiding officers in both branches were followed immediately by the
calling to order of the succeeding bodies. The contest between the
President and Congress had grown so violent, the mutual distrust had
become so complete, that the latter was unwilling to have its power
suspended for the customary vacation of nine months between the 4th of
March and the first Monday of the ensuing December; and therefore at
the preceding session a law had been passed directing that each
Congress should be organized immediately after the existence of its
predecessor had closed. The Republican leaders felt that without the
supervising and counteracting power of Congress, full force and effect
might not be given to the Reconstruction laws by the President; that
they might possibly be neutralized by hostile action from the office
of the Attorney-General, and that for this reason it would be well,
nay, it was imperatively demanded, that the legislative power should be
kept ready to interpose with fresh enactments, the very moment those
already in force should be dulled by adverse construction, or haltingly
administered by Executive agents not in sympathy with the policy of
Congress.

The membership of the Fortieth Congress was changed in some important
respects in both branches. Simon Cameron, at sixty-eight years of
age, returned from Pennsylvania as the successor of Edgar Cowan in the
Senate. It was the third time he had entered that body, and now, as
it proved, for a longer period than ever before.--Roscoe Conkling, who
had been steadily growing in strength, with the Republican party of
New York, was transferred from the House and took the seat of Ira
Harris.--Justin S. Morrill of Vermont, after twelve years of useful
and honorable service in the House, w