The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-11-10
The CLERK Ofthe House Of RepreseHt-

nv q ANNh VI AMt - u UIeNEUNs
atives-What he proposes 20 DO.
Under law Of Congress the Clerk Of the
House Of Representatives is required TO
make q roll Of the members and 10 "place
thereon the names Of all such persons, and
uI such persons only, whose credentials
show that they were regularly elected, in
arclrdncc with the laws OF their States re-
spr-uvely, or the lava orthe United States"
HoW the CLERK OF the House, Mr.. McPher-
sau, CONSTITUTES the law, can be learned from
ths following extract Of q letter from him:
ed. In the several theories OF reorgaD ization
the controlling power IN the premises is va
rI1usiy supposed % be lodged sometimes In
tEc President, sometimes On Congress. The
Istter s likely 90 incline 90 the latter view,
and boz any event BE- not likely 10 permit
members io De forced into the House end
Seuttr until, in accordance with the consti-
tuuouBi guaranty, those bodies themselves
have passed upon the claims Of the apple
cents.
sfEut the law Of the csgc isplain It pro-
yides-iua resolution bUnglingly woraed,
hut prepared and passed with direct refer
eucc to such q contingency as an effort By
tricky elcrk 10 flood the House with illegit-
mate members the clerk "shall make
o rail. aud place thereon the names Of all
pcre1us, and of such persons only, whose
lIsdcut.ala show that they were regularly
elected. iu accordance with the laws Of their
Htai-s respectively. OF the laws Of the United
ststss. stat. af Large, vol. AL, y. Sos.
"nn this Dc is clcars
"4lrst--Ihat no law of The United States
authorizes the election Representatives In
NV I'D abe ins1rrccuouary States.
" -eeand--Thst no law II any Of the
-faIfs uuihoriziug an election held ut the
,lH Ell oi q Provisional Governor and rom
which large numbers Of legally authorized
Y..Hr- ,Ihr uuswou rchels) are excluded.
Bow, ihcu. can any names be placed on
thr roil as from these states
10 s. very evident from this that Mr.. Nc
Phstsln does mot intend to place upon his
rol tbe utIae of Huy person from State
that BIAS becn 10 rebellion. But, to make il
arIgas hat Mr. Mcpherson has not under
taken what tbe above extract plainly ind
rsi.s, o. dispatch to the Associated Press
dam Washington denies ia authenticity.
The Sew York Tribune, however, youchcs
ioI it,s follows
The Washington man is mistaken. The
worJa quoted were Mr.. Mcpherson 5
own voras. They originally appeared in
pendent oi the Cincinnati Gazette, not cred
tied directly 90 Mr.. d. Phersou. bus with
fhC rUmuTk, OF sHair that thc above Seconds
with Mr. ArlheFs0n's views" In point OF
fart. 90 vrf Mr.. AcPherson's statement,
msag hy HIM n "a letter TO the Gazette cor
respondent, ar. Whitelaw Reid, and cop
icd verbatim Id DIR Rcd's letter 10 the Ca
este. Furthermore, the statement was
made by Gar. Mcpherson und published by
Ar. Eglu with the express purpose Of quiet
Eug ut apprehension excited BY the letter
ot Ar. Wendell Phillips, who,shortly before
had called attention ~ the possible danger
ei such an attsmpt by the Clerk OF the
House 20 reconstruct Congress by himself.
The Ceniusness of the pa,sega We quoted
WAS known 20 us al The time Of It's FIRST ar-
pcaraucr. us wen AZ The circumstances un-
DEF which be was written, and We accepted
% thea o. We DO now. o. distinct pledge
from Mr. Acfhcrson that IN no event
would hc sssume 90 put ou the roll OF the
House any pv'sou claiming 90 be elected
from sny oi Che insurgent Ststes. To doubt
thst he means % abide 10y that pledge is to
81 Boz question hIs LOYALTY, his intelligence.
and he personal honor
AncT this cNpiautlion there can be no
doubt as 90 Mr. NcPhersou's intentions.
he viii not place % his roll tbs names
of any one claiming Co be- @ member ofthe
House OF Representative from any State
chat has been In rebellion. Tennessee. Ar
kansas und Louisiana even will be ignored
by him.
lea our opiu on. The position OF the Clerk
is conirary 10 law, but unless the House
takes she matsr iu its own hands, we do
act zee that there is any remedy Coy bis
usurpaiion.