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 360 L. B. SHIPPER in the National House. 20 When the news of the final disposi- tion came, the Union? 1 could adopt a tone of complaisant su- periority; even "Lincoln's Rump Congress" could not retain Thayer. It was a bitter pill for the "Salem League", but it was "foiled at last," and the only consolation it would receive would be the sharing of the $7,000 odd, out of which the United States Treasury would be cheated for salary and mileage for the defeated candidate. The question finally arises after it is admitted that Con- gress dodged the issue on the Constitutional point as to why a Republican House should seat a disunionist rather than de- clare the seat vacant and allow a new election. It will be re- membered that this was the critical period when it was felt that, altho the war might be a short one, it was safe to try to keep the wavering states still in the fold. The state in which Joseph Lane had been such an idol was one to be handled carefully, until it could be seen whether the would-be vice- president represented the true sentiment of his state, or whether Senator Baker was right when he said : 22 "There may be there some disaffected; there, may be some few men there who would 'rather rule in hell than serve in heaven/ There are a few men there who have left the South for the good of the South; who are perverse, violent, destructive, revolution- ary, and opposed to social order. A few, but a very few, thus formed and thus nurtured, in California and in Oregon, both persistently endeavor to create and maintain mischief ; but the great portion of our population are loyal to the cause and in every chord of their hearts." That Senator Baker was right was shown amply before the war was over, but in the summer of 1861 the Republican leaders were, as a body, not willing to take chances. 20 Union, 5 Aug., 1861. 21 Ibid., 12 Aug., 1 86 1. 22 Cong. Globe, ist. Sess. 37th. Cong., 379.