Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1861-03-12
TELEGR A PHO
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS.
WAsuuoros, March IL.


SnArR-The Senate resumed the considera-
ton OF Mr.. Fosters resolution for the expul-
sion OF Senators WigfAll aod Clingmsn.
NJ. Foster had offered the resolution neither
% party or personal question. but had acted
in accordance with his duty. considering the
avovsl Of the Senators. He differed altogeth-
er With Mr.. Clingman. that State has the
| right to 90 ont Of the Union.
Foster said the Senate owed TO itself, not
to allow seat here 10 one who avowed he
was foreigner and owed no 81 egisnce to
the country to which he belonged. but to .
foreign government, and II that government
happened to take up arms against govern
ment and seize its property, and expels from
its Territory BY force the sroops Of the U. s,
It became very serious objection. and it was
Inconsistent 10 allow one 90 circumstanced to
hold . seat.
Foster then argued against Clingman's sub
stituts. 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
| admit Of . doubt. He held that the Senator
was entitled TO . seat on sound constitutional
grounds. Whether Texas seeded or not, that
State by Withdrawing from the Union could
not withdraw him from that body.
ClingMan replied that If the accounts we're
tue Texas had called convention and passed
an ordinance Of secession, wh ch had been rat
III ed by the people. and il the act was valid
Texas Ia no longer one Of the States, and took II
for granted il Texas seeded she 10 not entitled
to representation here. The Senator from
Conn. says the act Of secession 10 invalid,
then the Senator from Texas is entitled to q
seat unless an erroneous opinion disqaalihes
him. Was it ever maintained that because one
80 i'm.
tional question that that vas . reason for ex.
peliing hint Tit is an error for the Senator
fr IN Texas to believe that h,s State has . right
to secede. Why not expel the Virginia Senators
who hald the same opinion. and especially why
not expel those who declared and have gone
away. No motion 10 made to expel JEFF DAvis
who is at the head Of . foreign Republic, and
who hss advised the seizure Of arms and forts
He (Clingman) did not think the avowal oi
Wiefsll sufficient ground for bis expulsion.
Mr., Mason concluded that the resolution was
one OF expulsion, from what the Senator from
Texas said on this floor, and he said II Foster
thought that Wigfall ought not to occupy his
seat because he vas not citizen. he ought to
move to refer the subject to . Committee, 80
that it fails TO warrant the seat to be declared
vacant
Mr.. Foster asked whether, after the Senator
from Texas had been delegated by his State,
and admitted as member here, they could in
quirs into the legality by which he holds
his seat, no fact arising which did not exist at
that time.
Sir. Mason was very certain If the Senator
was not entitled to a seat, it could be vacated
whenever the fact warranting such course
should be disclosed He defended the cours.
Of Wigfall. and said if it be q punishable of.
fenss to sllege Constitutional truth, then the
resolution may be we'll founded. For one, be
recognized no allegiance to thi. Government
none whatever, and here took his position
.lsng eide the Senator from T4xaa He led
allegiance to Virginia, and no one else. Did
the Senator from Conn. resist the doctrine oi
Constitutional law and hold the Government
Of the United States still sovereign? il
he did, God help him SO far. Az
the Senator from Texas committed an Of
fence by saying he owed no allegiance to this
government he stood by his side. ard should
be unfaithful to Virginia if he did not. Alls-
glance here is that which is due from one citi-
zen to overeipn power, and he knew no SOW.
ereign except the State. He denied that the
act Of separation was a nullity, and said that
not only VIRGINIA denied it. but six States de-
MED such doctrine. and have formed a gov.
ernment and prepared to sustain itself il sl
lowed
Hunter considered the resolution a. one Of
ceEsure for the mere expression Of opinions
the Senator from Texas having done nothing
more than declare his belief in secession, and
continued at length advocating State rights.
Executive session adjourned.