Many measures had been passed
within an hour of the time of adjournment, among them a bill
for the relief of the widow of Jefferson Davis. She had written
a Memoir of her husband, on the sale of which it was understood
she depended for her livelihood in her advancing years. But
the publishers had neglected a technicality which, if the
decision of one Circuit Judge were good law, made the copyright
void. So she was at the mercy of her publishers, and it was
feared that they meant to take advantage of the defect. She
applied through General Gordon, then a member of the Senate,
to Congress for relief. A bill passed the two Houses, which
I had drawn, providing that where the copies required by law
to be deposited in the Library of Congress, had not been so
deposited within the time required by law, the author of the
book might deposit them at a later time, and the copyright
should not be rendered void. This was made a general law.
Just before twelve o'clock, when the Senators were in their
seats ready for the inauguration of President Harrison's successor,
which was to take place in about ten minutes, General Gordon
came to me in great distress, saying: "The Attorney-General
says the President means to refuse to sign that bill and that
he can do nothing with him.
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