And then began a battle royal.  Trumbull’s old associates were promptly joined by Sumner.  These three rallied against the resolution all the malignancy, all the time-serving, all the stupidity, which the Senate possessed.  Bitter language was exchanged by men who had formerly been as thick as thieves.

“You and I,” thundered Wade, “did not differ formerly on this subject
We considered it a mockery, a miserable mockery, to recognize this
Louisiana organization as a State in the Union.”  He sneered fiercely,
“Whence comes this new-born zeal of the Senator from Illinois? . . . 
Sir, it is the most miraculous conversion that has taken place since
Saint Paul’s time."(7)

Wade did not spare the President.  Metaphorically speaking, he shook a fist in his face, the fist of a merciless old giant “When the foundation of this government is sought to be swept away by executive usurpation, it will not do to turn around to me and say this comes from a President I helped to elect. . . .  If the President of the United States operating through his major generals can initiate a State government, and can bring it here and force us, compel us, to receive on this floor these mere mockeries, these men of straw who represent nobody, your Republic is at an end . . . talk not to me of your ten per cent. principle.  A more absurd, monarchial and anti-American principle was never announced on God’s earth."(8)

Amidst a rain of furious personalities, Lincoln’s spokesman kept his poise.  It was sorely tried by two things:  by Sumner’s frank use of every device of parliamentary obstruction with a view to wearing out the patience of the Senate, and by the cynical alliance, in order to balk Lincoln, of the Vindictives with the Democrats.  What they would not risk in 1862 when their principles had to wait upon party needs, they now considered safe strategy.  And if ever the Little Men deserved their label it was when they played into the hands of the terrible Vindictives, thus becoming responsible for the rejection of Lincoln’s plan of reconstruction.  Trumbull upbraided Sumner for “associating himself with those whom he so often denounced, for the purpose of calling the yeas and nays and making dilatory motions” to postpone action until the press of other business should compel the Senate to set the resolution aside.  Sumner’s answer was that he would employ against the measure every instrument he could find “in the arsenal of parliamentary warfare.”

With the aid of the Democrats, the Vindictives carried the day.  The resolution was “dispensed with."(9)