Only once again did the Congress break over its apparent resolve to ignore the President, and that was upon the occasion of his issue of his universal and unconditional pardon and amnesty to all persons who had participated, either directly or indirectly, in the rebellion, with the restoration of all their rights, privileges and immunities under the Constitution and the laws made in pursuance thereof. The date of this document was December 25th, 1868. On the 5th of January, 1869, the Senate called him to account for this by a {216} resolution calling upon him "to transmit to the Senate a copy of any proclamation of amnesty made by him since the last adjournment of Congress, and also to communicate to the Senate by what authority of law the same was made." The President replied on the 18th, sending a copy of his proclamation of December 25th, 1868, and declaring that he issued it by authority of the second section of Article second of the Constitution, which vested in the President the power to grant reprieves and pardons for offences against the United States, except in cases of impeachment, and in accordance with precedents established by his predecessors in office, Washington, Adams, Madison and Lincoln. The Senate did not say that he had no right to claim any constitutional prerogative, and that he was not worthy to act under precedents set by Washington, Adams, Madison, and Lincoln, but most of the Senators evidently so thought. The proclamation had no effect upon the qualifications for suffrage in the face of the Reconstruction Acts and the "State" constitutions framed and established in accordance with them. It was little more than the bull against the comet. [Sidenote: The President's veto of the Bill in regard to the colored schools in the District of Columbia.] As a sort of final stroke the President vetoed the bill concerning the transfer of the control of the colored schools in the District of Columbia, and the bill for raising the duties on imported copper and copper ores. He gave excellent reasons for both of these vetoes, but Congress had long ceased to be guided by reason in matters which related to the President. [Sidenote: The Fifteenth Amendment.]