Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1861-03-16
QUESTION OF EXPULSION.

TWigfall of Texas having declared that he did
not owe allegiance to the U. S. Government and
that his State had Withdrawn from the Union, q
motion was made by Foster of Connecticut to OK.
pei him. The following report is given of pro,
ceediDgs in the Senate on the 18th. in relation t.
that question:
The Senate resumed the consideration of Fosters
resolution for the expulsion of Senator Wigfall and
Mr.. C%iingman's substitute.
Mr.. Foster had offered the resolution neither az a
party or a personal question, but had acted in
accordance with bis duty considering the avowal
of the Senator. lie differed altogether from Mr..
Olipgmau, that a State has the right under the
Constitution to 60 out of the Union.
Mr.. 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 Government happens to take up arms
against this Government and seize its property,
and ezpels from its territory, by force, the troops
of the United States, it Lecame a very serious OBJ
lection, and it was Inconsistent to allow one SO
circumstanced to hold a seat here. lie had no
personal feeling in the matter.
Mr.. Foster then argued against Clingman's sub
%stitute, which admits the right of secession, but
no such thing was known to the Constitution.
which was too plain on this point to argue or ad-
NIT Of a doubt. lie held that the Senator was en-
titled to a seat on souni constitutional grounds.
whether Texas seeded or not. That State, by
Withdrawing from the Union, could not withdraw
him from that body.
Mr.. C~lingman replied that if the accounts were
true, Texas had called q Convention and PASSED az
ordinance of Secession viii h had been ratified by
the people, and if the act was valid, Texas Il no
no longer one of the States, and he took it for grant
ed if Texas seeded she is not entitled to a repre-
sentative here. The Senator from Texas believes
his State has seeded. The Senator from Connec-
ticut says the act of secession is invalid. Then the
Senator from Texas is entitled to a seat unless an
erroneous opinion disqualifes him. Was it ever
maintained that because one Senator differed from
another on a constitutional question, that that was
a reason for expelling him' II it is an error for
the Senator from Texas to believe that his State
has a right TO secede, why not expel the Virginia
Senators who hold the anne opinions, ard espe-
cially why not expel those who declared i, and
have gone away. No motion is made to expel
Jef. Davis who is at the head of a foreign repub-
lie, and who has advised the seizure Of arms and
forces. Ho (Clingman) did not think the ayowal
OF Mr.. Wigfall a sufficient ground for his expul-
sion.
He contin ued at some length, arguing that the
course of the Senator from Connecticut was not a
proper one.
Mr.. Mason contended 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 Lot a citizen, he ought to move to
refer the subject to a committee so that if facts
warrant, the seat be declared vacant.
Mr.. Fostor asked whether after the Senator
from Texas had been duly elected by his State
and admitted as a member here, they could en-
quire into the legality by which he holds his seat,
a new fact arising which did not exist at that time.
Mr.. Mason was very certain if the Senator was
not entitled to a seat, it could be vacated Whenever
the fact warranting such a course should be dis
closed. He defended the course of Wigfall, and
said if it be a punishable offense to allege a con-
stitutional truth, then the resolution NAV be we'll
founded. For one he (Mason) recognized no al
legiance to this government none whatever, and
here he took his position alongside the Senator
from Texas. He owed allegiance to Virginia and
no one else. Did the Senator from Connecticut 70.
sist the doctrine of constitutional law, and hold
the government of the United States still sover-
If he did, God help him. So far as the
Senator from Texas has committed al Offense by
saying he owed no allegiance to this Government,
he stood by his side, and he should DO unfaithful
to Virginia il he did not. Allegiance here is that
is due from one citizen to sovereign power.