Thoughitspassagewascertain，hepreparedavetomessage。Hethenpermittedthecongressionalleaderstoknowwhatheintendedtodowhenthebillshouldreachhim。GallandwormwoodareweaktermsforthebitternessthatmaybetastedinthespeechesoftheVindictives。When，inordertosavethebill，aresolutionwasappendedpurgingitoftheinterpretationwhichLincolncondemned，TrumbullpassionatelydeclaredthatCongresswasbeing“coerced“bythePresident。
“Nooneatadistance，“isthedeliberateconclusionofJulianwhowaspresent，“couldhaveformedanyadequateconceptionofthehostilityoftheRepublicanmemberstowardLincolnatthefinaladjournment，whileitwasthebeliefofmanythatourlastsessionofCongresshadbeenheldinWashington。Mr。Wadesaidthecountrywasgoingtohell，andthatthesceneswitnessedintheFrenchRevolutionwerenothingincomparisonwithwhatweshouldseehere。“[16]
LincolnenduredtherageofCongressinunwaveringserenity。
Onthelastdayofthesession，CongresssurrenderedandsenttohimboththeConfiscationActandtheexplanatoryresolution。Thereupon，heindulgedinwhatmusthaveseemedtothosefiercehystericalenemiesofhisawantonstrokeofirony。Hesentthemalongwithhisapprovalofthebillthetextofthevetomessagehewouldhavesenthadtheyrefusedtodowhathewanted。[17]TherecouldbenoconcealingthefactthatthePresidenthadmatchedhiswillagainstthewillofCongress，andthatthePresidenthadhadhisway。
Outofthisstrangeperiodofintolerableconfusion，agiganticfigurehadatlastemerged。TheouterandtheinnerLincolnhadfused。Hewasnowacoherentpersonality，masterfulinspiteofhisgentleness，withhisownpeculiarfashionofself-reliance，havingapolicyofhisowndevising，hiscolorsnaileduponthemasthead。