Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-01-31

the Republican Senators not 70 lei Madness rule
the hour. for the acts of the past ten months viii
be reviewed by the people. We hope dispassion-
stely. but il may be under reaction Of feeling
as intense and bitter as any we have experienced
during that period
To the following remarks OF Senator HARRrs,
Of New York, we especially direct the attention
Of the reader as we'll worthy of consideration at
the present time by all who desire 70 preserve
constitutional liberty and TO preserve the nstitu
tons which have made US a great and happy
people:
The Senator from Indiana Is on trial. He IS
on trial for a high erime-the highest crime known
to the laws of this or any other country: and the
Senate, by the resolution now under coDsidera-
ton. Is called upon to iniiict on the Senator from
Indiana the punishment II Is able 10 infiIct
on any human being. Ii is 10 convict him of
treason; for. has well been said by the Senator
from Pennsylvania IL is that nothing
up to the called session of this body in July
last. but single Senator has ever been expelled.
For three quarters Of century but single
Senator has ever been voted out Of this body. Ia
the early history of our Government one Sena-
tor, whose name was Blount, had engaged in Sc
ducing several tribes Of Indians from their al
legiance TO our Government, and had attempted
10 attach them TO the British Government. For
that high misdemeanor a. it was called, inconsist
ent with his public trust and duty, the record
states. he expelled. Another Senator, sub
sequently supposed 70 have been engaged in the
Burr conspiracy, was brought to trial before the
Senate for that offense: but the constitutional
vote requisite for expulsion was not obtained.
He subsequently resigned.
81 But, SIR since the 18th ofJuly last nearly one
third OF this body have been expelled These
vacant seats constant and impressive
memorial of the extent aud desperate character
OF that treason which has not only desolatel this
Senate, but whole country. We
called upon to take another ste9 Those Sena-
tors were expelled because they had already vol
UNFAIRLY vacated their seats. In the very Ian
guage of the Constitution. defining the crime of
treason they already adhering TO the enc
mics Of the country, giving them aid and COM
fort. Now, sir, We are asked TO expel from the
body Senator y ho presents himself here in the
Senate, claims to occupy his seat, to discharge
the duties OF Senator, and processes % be lOyal
to the Constitution and the Government This
IN my Judgment. Is great stride beyond what we
have already done
"The Senator from Kentucky Mr.. Davis has
found another reason why the Senator from Indi
ana should be expelled. lie j. satisfied. and
append some other Senators, from what have
listened to during this debate, may feel them
selves satisfied nay called upon, to vote for this
expulsion; not the ground that the Senator
has been guilty of treason, but on the ground
that he entertans and ayows political doctrines
which are not palatabie TO the majority OF the
Senate and the country This is the language Of
the Senator from Kentucky:
g The gentleman takes the position, announces
il in his speech at the last session. repeats it yes
teriay. that he is opposed every measure and
to the whole policy OF coercion 10y which submis
sion To the laws is TO be won and conquered Ii
that is not default of duty that ought To remove
the Senator from a seat in this chamber, | have
lost mv reason
"Now, sir, ] scarcely need say-certainly not
TO those who know me-that | have as little
sympathy with the political views and sentiments
OF that Senator any other gentleman upon this
floor, and have always had. For many wear
have watched his course here. and it has rarely
met nv appreciation. Above all, | have no sym
pathy with the doctrine which he has avowed, of
noncoereion. But, sir, in my judgment, that is
not the question here.
"As | understand the duty of Sena-
tors here, they acting judicial tribunal
determining upon the rights of fellow Senator
and that they are governed by no such influences
or principles, sublimated they may be- as those
suggested by the Senator from Kentucky. He
told Us that in determining this question, the Sen
ate was to be controlled by no common law, no
statute law, parliamentary usage, but in its
own discretion il was to decide whether or not
the Senator trial was unfit for parliamentary
duty; and if, in the exercise of this discretion
the law oftyrants-t should judge him unfit. then
it was the duty of this Senate to remove him from
their presence.
''Sir, il is well for Senators on this side of the
chamber that that doctrine had not been promul
gated earlier daY Had this been the doc
trne of former DAYS, my friend from Massachu-
sets Mr. Sumnerl would never have been per-
mitted To hurl his polished, FURNISHED. burning
shafts against slavery-against the barbariSm
OF slavery The clarion voice of the veteran
Senator from New Hampshire Mr.. Halel would
long since have ceased TO resOund in this hall.
There are other Senators who have long been
suspected of being too much mbued with a
certain unhealthy doctrine TO have held their seats
with any certain tenure here, if Senators were
allowed To expel a member because, in the udg
ment OF the Senate he was unit for parliament
airy duty.
Sir, we are living and acting in exciting times
They are times which should furnish us with great
caution in the mode in which We act on questions
of 80 moEientous Importance "a that now pend
ing. The great question now ON trial in this
Union Is, whether it shall live, or whether be-
cause the fingers of treason are clutching at its
throat, 1t shall cease TO exist And at times like
these. which stir every patriots heart, there is
danger, imminent danger, that we may be led to
do an act in a case like this, and fix precedent,
which shall be peruicious in its influences hereaf-
ter.
THE history of past times, Mr.. President. fur
nishes with most instructive caution that We
shall proceed carefully in expeing a Senator on
the ground OF his intidelity. or want of sympathy
with the Government, in time like this. Sir,
there i no more melancholy feature in the histO
~ OF English jurisprudence than the facility with
which, 10y forced and arbitrary constructions, the
best men OF the times, innocent and patriotic
men, men of whom neither the times nor their
country we're worthy, condemned for trea-
s,n The Sydneys, the Russells the Hampdens
and other worthless like them. furnish US. il seems
TO me, admonition that we should be cautious.
Il cOncede
ard can conscientiously say, that the letter OF in
PRODUCTION To JEFF Davis was written with a trca-
sOusbic design, for the purpose OF enabling JEFF
ferson Davis and his reasonable companions and
associates the better 10 engage in war with this
Government. then be was guilty of treason, of a
reasonable design, which Is enough TO convict
him. either here before legal tribunal.
But. sir, with the Judgment of charity | am
unable 20 bring my mind 10 any such conclusion
! believe that At the time this letter written
no such thought entered the mind OF the Senator
who wrote il. | believe that it was one of those
hasty ordinary letters of introduction which we
all of "a feel burden to Us here, which We are
u