The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1861-03-12
/ NEWS BY TELEGRAPH.
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Exclusively for the Journal.
EXECUTIVE SESSION OF THE Z. S
SENATE.

WASHINGTON, Mar. 1l.-SENATE.-The
Senate resumed the consideration of Mr.
Fosters resolution for the expulsion OF
Senator Wigfall, and Clingman's substitute
Mr.. Foster had offered a resolution
neither as party or personal question, but
had acted in accordance with his duty.
Considering the avowal Of the Senator e
differed altogether with Mr. Clingman,
as to the power of a state under the con-
stitution TO go out of the Union.
Foster said the Senate owed it to itself
not to allow a seat here to one who avowed
he was a foreigner, and owed no allegiance
to the country to which he belonged, but to
a foreign government, and if that govern
ment happens to take up arms against this
government and seizes its property, and ex-
pels from its territory by force the troops of
the United States, it became very serious
objection, and it " 5 inconsistent to allow
one so circumstanced to hold seat here. He
had no personal feelings in the matter He
then argued against Clingmau's substitute.
which admits the right of secession, that no
such thing was known to the constitution
1t was too plain on this point to admit of
an argument. He held that the Senator
was entitled to a seat on sound constitution
al grounds, whether Texas seeded or not
That State by Withdrawing from the Union
could not withdraw him from that body.
Mr.. Clingman replied that if accounts
were true Texas had called a convention
and passed an ordinance of secession which
had been ratified by the people and if the
act was valid Texas is no longer
one of the States, and he took
it for granted that if Texas seeded, she is
not entitled to a representative here The
Senator from Texas believes his State ;
seeded. The Senator from Connecticut
says the act of secession is invalid. Then
the Senator from Texas is entitled to his
seat, unless an erroneous opinion disquali-
fies him. Was it ever maintained that be-
cause one Senator differed from another on
constitutional question, that that was a
reason for expelling him. If this is so, why
not expel the Virginia Senators, who hold
tae same opinions and especially, why not
sKpel those who declared it, and have gone
away. No motion is made to expel JEFF
Davis, who is at the head of foreign Re
public and who has advised the seizure of
forts and arms He (Clingman) did not
think the avowal of Wigfall a sufficient
ground for his expulsion. He continued at
some length, arguing that the course of the
Senator from Connecticut was not proper
one.
Mason conteended that the resolution
was one of expulsion for what the Senator
from Texas said on this floor; and he said
if Foster thought that Wigfall ought not
to occupy his seat because he was not a
citizen, he ought to move to refer the sub
ject TO committee, so that the facts may
be brought out.
Foster asked whether, after the Senator
from Texas had been duly elected by his
state, and admitted as member here, they
could inquire into the legality by which
he holds his seat, new fact arising, which
did not exist at that time
Mason said he was very certain if the
Senator was not entitled to seat, it could
be vacated WHENEVER tho tact requiring
such a course should be disclosed.