, 1868-04-03

TIE REJEcrIoN OF THE MARYLAND SEEAToR.-
The "well trained, loyal telegraph" few weeks
since reported that Maryland was indignant over
the rejection of U. s. Senator from that State,
and that as a means of redress it had been de-
cided to refuse to pay the Federal tax. That
the action of the Senate in rejecting Phillip F.
Thomas from q seat to which he was rightfully
and legally elected had called forth great in.
dignatiou, is true, but instead of acting rashly
viewed the whole procedure, and by unan
imous vote adopted the following report, in
which the main features of the outrage upon
the rights of State are clearly set forth
The committees on federal relations, pursuant
to the order of the General Assembly, have bad
in consideration the executive communication
which transmitted to the General Assembly the
official notification from the Senate of the United
States, that they have rejected the Senator elect
ed from this State, Phillip Francis Thomas.
The cause assigned by the Senate is that Mr..
Thomas had given aid and comfort to the rebel
lion and was not entitled to take the oath of Office
| This oath of office is q denial of having given
such aid and comfort. The act of Congress
entities and requires each Senator to take it.
Mr. Thomas was certainly entitled take 1t, If be
sincerity and truth. He offered to take 1t, and
| the Senate would not allow him. -,
r The only specific act found BY the committee
| Of investigation was 10 giving one hundred
dollars to q son going South during the var.
The proof was clear that he gave It, not to in
duce his son to go, but because he could not
prevent it, after earnest and anxious effort to pre-
vent it. On such grounds majority of the
Senate have undertaken to put aside aud nullify
| the election of a State.
|. None of the rights Of the States is more im-
portant to them than the right of representation
| in the Senate of the Union. 1t is vital part OF
the constitution guarded by peculiar care +;
alone of all its provisions made irrepsalabe and
perpetual. The qualifications of a Senator are
ascertained by clear and precise definitions in
the constitution.
Congress has assumed to add Others BY le0is>
lative enactments, thereby to create diSqualifca>
tions unknown to the constitution, and abridge
the constitutional freedom of election by the
States. The entire right is now imperiied. The
proof which the statute prescribes is rejected
and q majority in the Senate, denied by the
constitution any authority to expel a Senator,
has assumed the power to exclude him. By
such means a majority of small States may ex-
clude from the Senate all the great States of the
Union. A great wrong is done in this proceed
ing to the State of Maryland and the constitn.
tion of the United States. But it is q wrong
against which the constitution has no defense,
aud for which it affords the State no remedy
The place of Senator Thomas is vacant in the
Senate of the United States and the law requires
this General Assembly to go into an election to
supply the vacancy on Tuesday, Sd of March o
| next.
The committee report that the General As
sembly should enter the protest of the State
against the proceeding of the Senate of the
United States. They therefore propose the fol'
lowing joint resolutions:
"ResOlUed, That the General Assembly o.
Maryland make this, their earnest and solemn
protest, againstthe proceedings in the Senate o
the United States whereby Senator elected
from this State and duly qualified has been ex.
cluded from the Senate.
"ResOIUed, That the foregoing statement ant
this protest be transmitted to the Legislatures
of other States now in session, that they MAJ
judge what notice it merits from them in vind
cation of the laws, the constitution and the com
mon rights of all the States.