Soon after the passage of this act occurred the great struggle over the ratification of the Fourteenth Amendment. At the time of its submission by Congress to the State the Legislature was not in session. Gov. Brownlow, therefore, issued a call for an extra session to convene on July 4th. The members were very slow in assembling. It became apparent that the opponents of the amendment in the Lower House would seek to defeat its ratification by preventing a quorum, which was fixed by the constitution at two thirds of all the members. Upon the first roll-call only forty-two members answered to their names. At the third meeting this list was increased to fifty-four, but it still fell short two votes of the necessary two thirds. The Sergeant-at-arms was, therefore, instructed to arrest the absentees, and bring them by force to the floor of the House. He did not find this an easy task, as the refractory members sought by every means possible to elude his search. The following extract from his report gives a glimpse of the ludicrous game of hide-and-seek enacted in different parts of the State: “I have the honor to report that in compliance with instruction that I should proceed to Hamilton County, and arrest George B. Foster, member of the House of Representatives, I proceeded to Chattanooga on Friday the 13th, 1866, arriving on the morning of the fourteenth, at 2 o’clock; communicated with the Sergeant of the Metropolitan Police, procured a wagon, and, in company with Sergeant Bently, proceeded to the summit of Lookout Mountain, to the residence of Mr. Foster, and was there informed by his family that he had ridden out in the country; carefully watched the premises without result until evening; was informed that he would be home that night; lay up on the mountain all night, awaiting his return. Mr. Foster did not return. I am satisfied that his family on the mountain, at the time of my leaving them, did not positively know of his whereabouts, although there was a manifest intention on their part to mislead as to his locality. I found it impossible to conceal my business, and destination,――the resolution of the House and order for the arrest of the absentees having been published and otherwise communicated.”[13] Several of the members attempted to resign, but Governor Brownlow refused to accept their resignations. He sent the following response to Mr. Dunnaway, representative from Bedford County: “Sir,――As it is evident the design of your resignation is to reduce the House below a quorum and to break up the Legislature, the same is not accepted.”