1904,] OF THE HOUSE OF DELEGATES. 387

son, who had resigned, to become the Attorney-
General of the United States. Governor Pratt was re-
elected Senator in 1850, and served until March B,
1857. The "American" or "Know Nothing Party"
then came in power in the State, and Senator Pratt
was not re-elected; because, opposing the proscription
of a man on account of his foreign antecedents and his
religious proclivities, he cast his powerful influence
with the Democracy of the State, exhibiting, in this
sacrifice of his seat in the Senate for his principles,
another phase of the magnificent virtues that com-
posed his great and lofty character.

He ardently espoused the cause of the South in the
Civil War, and paid the penalty of his sentiments by
a short imprisonments in Fortress Monroe. He was a
delegate to the National Democratic Convention of
1864, and to the Union Convention on 1866. He died
November 9th. 1868.

Governor Pratt was a man of the highest probity.
His word was his sacred bond. When Governor, a
committee called upon him to request the appointment
of a certain gentleman to a particular office. "I can-
not give it to him," was the frank reply of the Gov-
ernor, "that's promised."

Nor did he wait for the friends who had helped him
to reach the gubernatorial chair, to seek him for the
trophies of victory that he had to bestow. When he
was ready to distribute the rewards of honorable ser-
vice, he sent for his friends to come to the Executive
Chamber to receive from his grateful hands the sub-
stantial benefits of their hard-fought and well-earned
victory.

The esteem, with which he was held throughout the
country, was shown in a remarkable manner during
the Civil war. An order had been issued that no Con-
federate soldier should be paroled and allowed to re-
main in Maryland. They were received here too much
as heroes to please the Federal authorities, and be-
side they had eyes and could see too much of the
military affairs of the government. Governor Pratt
had a son in the Confederate army who had been cap-
tured, and the father wanted his boy home until he