could do something
to enable our friends in the Southern States to establish institutions
according to the principles of republican government."

Mr. Stevens deprecated a disposition among his friends to be
hypercritical in relation to mere verbal details. "If I might presume
upon my age," said he, "without claiming any of the wisdom of Nestor,
I would suggest to the young gentlemen around me that the deeds of
this burning crisis, of this solemn day, of this thrilling moment,
will cast their shadows far into the future and will make their
impress upon the annals of our history, and that we shall appear upon
the bright pages of that history just in so far as we cordially,
without guile, without bickering, without small criticisms, lend our
aid to promote the great cause of humanity and universal liberty."

The question being taken on the motion to refer to the Committee on
the Judiciary, it was decided in the negative--yeas, 69; nays, 94. The
question was then taken on the passage of the bill. It passed the
House--one hundred and nine voting in the affirmative, and fifty-five
in the negative.

"I wish to inquire, Mr. Speaker," said Mr. Stevens, "if it is in order
for me now to say that we indorse the language of good old Laertes,
that Heaven rules as yet, and there are gods above."

At the evening session of the Senate on the same day, the bill "to
provide for the more efficient government of the insurrectionary
States" was announced as having passed the House, and at once received
its first reading. Mr. Williams gave notice of his intention to
propose an amendment, but on the following day, when the Senate
proceeded to consider the subject, he said that being impressed with
the necessity of the passage of the bill, and fearing that any
amendment might endanger if not defeat it, he had concluded not to
present his amendment.

Mr. Johnson said that the adoption of the amendment would make the
bill much less objectionable to him, although he could not vote for it
even if amended. He then offered the amendment, which was
substantially the same as that proposed by Messrs. Bingham and Blaine
in the House of Representatives.

Mr. Stewart regretted that the Senator from Oregon had changed his
mind in regard to this amendment. "The military bill without that,"
said he, "is an acknowledgment that, after two years of discussion and
earnest thought, we are unable to reconstruct, and are compelled to
turn the matter over to