The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-08-05
WHO ARE ENTITLED TO SEALS IN
CONGRESS-.
Speech of Hon. Eben C. Ingerssn, of
Illinois, on the Admission of the
Kentucky Delegation.

The following resolution being un-
der consideration:
WHEREAS, There is good reason to
believe that in the election recently
held in the State of Kentucky for
Representatives to the Fortieth Con-
gress, for legal and loyal voters in the
several districts in said State have
been overawed. and prevented from
true expression of their will and
choice at the polls by those who have
sympathized with or actually participa-
ted In the late rebellion, and that such
elections were carried by the votes of
such disloyal and returned rebels;
therefore. 90 =
Be It resolued, That the credentials
of all the members elected from the
State of Kentucky shall be referred
to the Committee of Elections, to re-
port at as early day as practicable,
and ending the report of said COM
mittee none of said members shall be
allowed to take the oath Of Office and
admitted to seats as such.
Mr.. Ingersoll said:
/ am glad that we have met this
question at the threshold. Now is
the time and here is the place to set
tie it. The Constitution says each
house shall be the judge of the cleo
tons, returns and qualifications of its
own members" This clause gives us
full and complete jurisdiction over
the question before US. Let US dis
pose of it as becomes the representa-
tives Of great and free people. Let
he r.
of these gentlemen. Loyalty is a nee
essary qualification. Do they possess
it? We propose to investigate that
question, without unnecessary delay,
by the proper committee. We do not
propose to deal with Kentucky as
though she were not entitled to rep
resentation. We say to her. " You
are entitled to representation, but you
have no right to send men here who
aided the rebellion. who fought
against the Union am not assum-
ing that disloya representation has
presented itself. [ do not presume to
declare in advance of the testimony
that a single gentleman from Ken
lucky is disloyal or ever did give aid,
countenance or encouragement to the.
rebellion. But / am insisting that
Congress has the right to exclude dis
loyal men; men who engaged in the
rebellion; men who committed trea-
son against this Government. care
not whether the man comes from
Kentucky or from any other State;
the principle is the same.
If rebel from Kentucky domicili
ates himself in New York and be-
comes citizen of that State, and
should the people of New York see
proper to elect him to Congress, must
he be admitted? Should he be ad-
mitted? / say no, never; Congress
has the perogative to exclude him,
and ought to exclude him. .-.--
There is no safety for the Republic
10 any other course. This is not an
infraction of the right of representa-
ton; it goes only to the person of the
representative. The representative
must be friend Of the Union, not its
enemy if he is its enemy he should
be denied a seat here. and | hold
this to be our right, and for one pro-
pose to exercise it now, if the facts
are as they are alleged in the resolu-
ton. Sir, there is such an organiza-
ton in this country as a Union party,
and, for one, L propose 70 do all that
| can legally and constitutionally to
maintain that party. 1t may be said
that | am speaking now as a partisan.
Perhaps SO; but / am speaking as
partisan, as understand it, In
good cause, in patriotic
cause, in loyal cause, no less
one than the perpetuation
of the Republic, and for the perpetu-
alton of just and noble principles as
the foundation of that Republic IF
we desire to perpetuate the liberty
and unity of the Republic, can we do
it better than by maintaining the
loyal, Union party? I hold that we
cannot. Every blow against the
Union party is blow against repub-
liean and liberal institutions. You
can strike no more direct blow az the
Union party or the Republic than by
giving aid and encouragement to the
enemies of the Union; and if you
admit here whomsoevcr the late rebels
may see fit TO send do you not there
by encourage the rebel element in the
Southern States, until at last. by such
announcement. you will have created a
power that will crush you? For one,
/ do not propose to do any such thing.
i propose to act fairly, honestly. and
honorably with the people of all sec
tions of the country; but | do pro
pose to maintain loyalty and to award
the merit due to it, and when there is
a contest in any district in this coun-
try between loyalty and disloyalty,
am on the side of loyalty and against
disloyalty If you wish to send forth
voice from this hall that shall en-
courage the Southern loyal people in
their heroic efforts to build up