Year: 1859

appeal. there being above and beyond it
no higher or even equal power. But your
memorislist would seek no other tribunal,
or question the right to the exercise of the
power in the decision that has been made.
but relying on that sense of Justice which
undcrlies all Of our institutions, but de-
mands In the tribunals of your honorable
body review or rehearing, such as the
meanest suitor would not be denied in the
highest judicial court known to the laws
of the land. 1t may not be inappropriate
for your memorialist to suggest that any
other course on the part of your honorable
body might be productive of the most a.
farming consequences; for if any member
of the States of the Union should be so un-
fortunate. as your memorialist, as to have
conferred on individuals whom they had
not chosen credentials of election as Uni-
ted States Senators, and your honorable
body, upon such credentials, wonld admit
them as members, it would not be suffi
cient answer to such States, when applying
for redress and dsmsnFshg their rights,
that the Senate of the United States had
once passed upon the question, and that
her power was already exhausted on the
subject.


Your memorialist holds TO the doctrine
that the power lodged in your honorable
body to do justice to and deal equitably
with those who delegated to yon that pow
er. can never be exhausted, however often
it may have been exercised, until such JUS
tice has been done in the most complete
and ample manner Any other view of
that power would make it an irresponsible,
independent authority, fully armed for ven
geance and wrong, but powerless for the
accomplishment of those wise and benef
cent purposes for which it was established
Recognizing in the economy of both State
and Federal government the principle that
every thing salutary depends upon the con-
sent of the governed, your memorialist can
not regard the argument Of want of pow
er in your honorable body to review and
and revise. its decisions, as at all in harmo-
ny with the spirit of our institutions, or
consonant with the almost unlimited pow
er delegated to the Natio nal Legislature.
Such concession, on the part of the seve-
raj States lhald be equivalent to a sur
render of those rights; without which they
would cease to be sovereign powers and de-
scend to- the condition of colonies. wherein
they woty 6be compelled to the support of
a Government in which they would be with
out representation. With that urfeigned
devotioDto She Union of these States which
has hitherto marked her ready and willing
acquiescendsm he expressed will of the
National SovereiGDty, and which. she cher
ishes the assurance, will ever characterize
her attachmenr,coits undivided dignity
and honor, your meaas+Alist confidently
presents and asks for admmission as her le-
gally elected and constitutionally chosen
Senators the persons herein named, whose
title to the honor and claim to the position
is thus solemnly authenticated by the high
est and most august tribunal known to the
Constitution of the State of Indiana.


ResoIved by the Senate, the House of
Representative concurring therein, That the
foregoing memorial. certified by the Pres
dent and Secretary of the Senate, and by
the Speaker and Clerk of the House of
Representatives, be and it is directed to
be forwarded to the Vice President of the
United States, to be by him laid before the
Senate of the United States.