The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1866-03-17
SPEECH OF HON w. p. FEssENDEN
OF MAINE,
on THE ADMISSION OF REPRESENTATIVES FROM
THE REBEL STATES


resolution relating to the admission of Sena
tors and Representatives from the Confeder
ate States
Mr.. Fessenden said:
Mr.. PREsIEENT--I have already, in what
stated on Wednesday and this morning in the
preliminary discussion, sufficiently indicated
to the Senate my opinion of the importance
Of the resolution before the body bat as i
has just been laid upon our tables in printed
form ask that it be read before proceed
The Secretary read the resouti- H. as fol
lows;
Resolved by the House of Representatives
the Senate concurring.1 that in order to close
lgitatIon upon question which seems lkel,
to disturb the action of the Government, a,
we'll as to quiet the uncertainty which is ag
tating the minds of the people of the clever
States which have been declared to be in in
surrection, no Senator or Representative shall
ne admitted into either branch of Congress:
from any of said States until Congress shall
have declared such State entitled to such rep.
| resentation.
Mr. Fessenden-It was averred bv the Sen,
ator from Ohio that we had previously acted
upon resolutions similar in their character
an not aware that we have. The resolution,
1t will be perceived, is nothing more nor less
| than legislative assertion by both Houses ot
/ Congress that they will not proceed to act
upon the credentials of members from any oil
! the States which lately constituted the So
called Confederate States until they have pre-
viously passed law applicable to the condi-
! ton OF the States themselves. This, if YOU
! @lH allow me to say so. is in exact accord
ance with what Congress has indicated as its
intention heretofore. 1t was indicated in the
asst Congress, and it was indicated in a reso.
iaf4r 4 Il r Il
ee on the judiciary, of which the honorable
senator from Maryland Mr. johnson was a
member, aud, as | am informed. with his
concurrence, not as applicable to all the
states. but as applicable to one of the States
Il Is before me IN a few words, and | will read
| It. At the close of the report that was made
| % the Senate on the 18th of February to ac-
company Joint resolution S. No. III, on the
subject Of the credentials Of members claim
ng seats from Louisiana, the last paragraph,
which | will read, is:
The persons in possession of the local au-
thorites OF Louisiana having rcbeed against
the authority of the United States and her
inhabitants having been declared to be in a
state OF lnsurrection In pursuance Of a law
passed 10y the two Houses Of Congress your
committee deem it improper for this body to
admit to seats Senators from Louisiana. till
BY some joint action of both Houses there
hall be some recognition Of an existing State
Government, acting in harmony with The Gov
ernmeut of the United States and recognizing
its authority.
Mr.. Johnson-Is that the report of 18Th
OF February, 1860?
Mr.. Fessenden-Yes, sir Now, there is
The principle laid down in so many words,
md agreed to, as | understand, specifically
l. J.. r
whose authority we all acknowledge thar 10
l,much as the State of Louisiana had been
declared TO be In state of rebellion. and in
tercoIrse with it had been suspended By a
.aw of Congress, therefore Congress could not
properly admit members from that State, ex
cept in pursuance Of law Of Congress pro-
viding for her peculiar condition. do not
pretend TO repent the exact language When
that resolution was introduced into Congress.
Ind It occasion any discussion upon that ptin-
clple or the proprieiy of its application? Mas
there any objection made anywhere? Did not
everybody recognize the propriety of that
exact expression Of opinion as applied TO the
proposition to admit Senators and Represent
atiyes from such State? ! was not here at
the time, but | was informed that there was
no discussion upon that particular subject.
and no fault was found with the particular
course inbt was lhuS luu1C3teQ. so lar, at least,
as this principle was concerned.
How does It happen, then, that when a sim
liar resolution is proposed, one applicable To-
the other States that have been precisely in
the like condition, there seems to be so much
sensltiveness in the minds OF gentlemen? How
can 1t be accounted for that what was thought
TO be so proper as applicable to these other
States? 1t Is for gentlemen t. answer
Let us look little further. and see what
has occurred since that time. because feel
somewhat sensitive on this subject. Charges
have been made with reference to the com.
mttee Of which | have the honor to be
member that have somewhat affected my
view of my own condition, and feel com.
PEELED not only to vindcate that committee.
but to yindieate the action of Congress with
reference TO it.
Mr. Fessenden then quoted the Presidents
recent speech, and proceeded.
1t will be noticed, Mr.. President that in
the extract which has been read there are
very serious charges made. One is tLat there
is an effort being made to concentrate all
power in few. and that that power is lodged
in the hands of sort of central committee,
and the words which Immediately follow fur
nsh sufficient indication OF what the Presi-
dent meant. | think the Presiden; Of the
United States could hardly have considered
with care the nature of the resolution under
which We have been acting committee of
this body; he could hardly have looked at its
history, and hardly have understood its mean
ing. Let me read that resolution aud state
It's history, for 1t is very singular that he
should charge that all The authority OF deeid-
ing upon the credentials Of members q. the
House OF Representatives and Of The Senate
has been taken from the House and the Sem
ate and referred to this committee The
resolution as it finally passed stood in this
way:
That Joint committee of fifteen members
shall be appointed, nine of whom shall be
members of the House and six members of
the Senate, who shall inquire into the condi-
ton of the States which formed The so called
Confederate States OF America, and report
whether they, or any Of them, are entitled to
be represented in ei her House of Congress.
with leave to report 10y bill or otherwise.
What was that? Simply the appointment
Of joint committee, in this unexampled con
dition ofthe country, with war of four Years
lin which eleven States had been engaged
against the United Stutes) just closed, after
all the expenditure Of blood and treasure that
mad been made in the country at the first
meeting Of Congress which occurred after
actual hostilities in the field had ceased-for
what purpose! To inquire into the condition
Of those States and report whether they were
entitled to representation. That simple pro
vision for acquiring information in order to
enable the House and the Senate to judge
understandingly upon this important question
affecting themselves has been represented BY
gentlemen and By newspapers as assuming
authority which did no, belong to Congress.
nave nothing TO say in this connection with
reference to the President. am speakinq