view I take
of this amended bill; and taking that view of it I see no reason
in the world why we should not all vote for it."

The substitute was adopted on the same day and the bill, thus
amended, was passed by a vote of yeas 29, nays 10. In the House
it was agreed to with slight amendments, which were finally concurred
in by the Senate, on February 20, 1867. It was sent to the President
and was not approved by him, but was, on the 2nd of March, passed
over his veto by a vote of two-thirds of both Houses.

Upon the law, long deferred, the several states mentioned in it
were organized and restored to their place in the Union. The
preamble and fifth and sixth sections of this law are as follows:

"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 whereas it is necessary that
peace and good order should be enforced in said states until loyal
and republican state governments can be legally established:
Therefore,

"_Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled:_ . . .

"Sec. 5. _And be it further enacted_, That when the people of any
one of said rebel states shall have formed a constitution of
government in conformity with the constitution of the United States
in all respects, framed by a convention of delegates elected by
the male citizens of said state, twenty-one years old and upward,
of whatever race, color, or previous condition, who have been
resident in said state for one year previous to the day of such
election, except such as may be disfranchised for participation in
the Rebellion, or for felony at common law, and when such constitution
shall provide that the elective franchise shall be enjoyed by all
such persons as have the qualifications herein stated for electors
of delegates, and when such constitution shall be ratified by a
majority of the persons voting on the question of ratification who
are qualified as electors for delegates, and when such constitution
shall have been submitted to Congress for examination and approval,
and Congress shall have approved the same, and when said state, by
a vote of its legislature, elected under such conditions, shall
have adopted the amendmen