Page:The Presidents of the United States, 1789-1914, v. III.djvu/214

 176 LIVES OF THE PRESIDENTS To these questions he gave all necessary attention, but they did not exhaust his capacity. He began at this time, and ever afterward continued, a thor ough study of constitutional and financial prob lems, and to aid him in these researches he labored to increase his familiarity with the German and French languages. In this, his first session, he had to stand almost alone in opposition to the bill that increased the bounty paid for enlistment. He ad vocated liberal bounties to the veterans that re- enlisted, but would use the draft to secure raw recruits. History vindicated his judgment. In the same session he spoke on the subject of seizure and confiscation of rebel property, and on free com merce between the states. On January 13, 1865, he discussed exhaustively the constitutional amend ment to abolish slavery. In the 39th congress (1865) he was changed, at his own request, from the committee on military affairs to the ways and means committee, which then included Messrs. Morrison, of Illinois, Brooks and Conkling, of New York, and Allison, of Iowa. His reason for choosing this new field was that, the war being ended, financial questions would have supreme importance, and he wished to have his part in their solution. In the 40th congress (1867) he was restored to his old committee on military af fairs, and made its chairman. In March, 1866, he made his first speech on the question of the