The sun., 1863-12-19
Congressional Proceedings.
NNNViiI,h IONt.RF-S- senate.

Fdshine'oH, bc' Is. Mr.. Wilson, from the Com.
nitte' on hiitry AfAtu rcpor edthck, with am NJ.
merts, thc E,uuty Law. Also tht bill amonds,ory
NJ the Elrolmsnt A,,, sith .rendu. ons Of them
repeG ns the 500 commu,s'ion and A. 10 tbs, he
hNd very serious doubts
NJ r'ou offered an amendment crsmrtirs clsr.
rImtn from the drsh. ordered 20 be printed.
ssS.ToE eAtisUtgr's cAs-.
The 1cn.ts then preceded to ito consideration Of
Mt sumner. r.souton, {. follows;
Rssi'rei. That the foli1rire be aided 10 IN. rule,
ot the Senate The oath Or rhhun,iion prs,crhed by
the Ao' ~ Conrrr.s Of july 2d 1892 be taken and
suhCIrted leior. rutet ne upnn the duties OF ofee
aso b. tst.n 40 .ut.r!iied 10 in lie sam. Va ny
the Secretary of ihe senate Ia. he othsr oi'csf X
u Sen'e ntv take and subscribe TO It IN the office
Oi the Secretary
Mr. salisbury ,Aid that HI. colleague CB,ysidl w.s
the only senator 20 ;. sccicd BY the order and he
had he right to ASK that the question involved dts
.on,titu.onalityl .hould be referred TO the Commit
tee On ~. Judcisry Tor their aetiop and orinior Mr
3 th.n made motion 10 that cfec', ard ,a'i there
'houll not he made Iii' colleague tAr. BaysrdJ Md
usht 70 N. uiFues .fthi. hody, q, 20 whether he
should be 70 ur'd 20 'Ate the oath or not. II hsi
never been d. a,i that member OF Conge,, -ns
civil of'eer within the meaning Of the Coniti.g;oa,
but the contrsry.
NJ Trurnhull did not see that tho Senator from
pslar,re CMr. B'yHej wu interested in tho rulo
more than any Other senator. Tho pro po,iton here
was to inquire whsthsr the law was in accordance,
or In ooniiict with the Consultation. The act re-
quired all officers in 'he civil naval. military de-
paTtm'uts before entering upon their dutie. tstAks
the prs,cribtd oath svesrns or Affirming, that they
have never Voluntarily horne arms as,inst the
United Sta'es nor given AID comfort 10 those en-
saxed In armed hostility thereto. &c M Trumtull
then srgusd 70 ,ha~ that the law wsF applicable 10
5'nAtors md R~rIesen'stvef As nearly al the
Senators had taken and tub.cribsd the oath Of ALE
ciinee 70 the ~, be ho.sht Il too lac 10
IN ure whether hs os prop rlT embraced Senator.
lie u d not want the TCmb,'s and Davi-es 10 come
here and af'er swearing 20 .uppo the Constitution,
70 axe their sests. and then nerure themselve.
lie claimed he rirhi 10 ,Ay they never should ri'h
~ consent, have Uats in this '0ly. lie would 10.
Qu'r, Senators 'o tab, lie trofC Ned oath hat they
had no, been cnsagcd in rebellion. and II they com
mltted perjury he souid convict them under the
statute
Mr., Biysrd remarked that the Ordinary course
20 refer grave question: although Senators m sht
sumo that matters we're very essr, and therefore 1t
". idle 10 refer, The Law ~n passed July I'd, 1864
At the last session of the Senate he.rt. Field and
WAL, of New jersey, and Arnold, Of Rhode Island,
all tool their seats wit hout reference TO the Law, and
held them without word from any senator, until
( the end OF their respective termt He vas unvil-
take the oath His poet In life and conduct ought to
/ he ,ufieent TO protect him from susricon, Barrns
biz views q to The uReoasutuusnslu Of The lass