Year: 1865

THIRTY-EIGIITH CONGRESS-.
| SECOND SESSION.


Senate.


WASHINGTON FER II, 1865
| CLAIM CONDENSATION.
Mr. GRIMES, (rap.) of Iowa. presented tho petition Of
w. Forbes of Boston, who represents that be is part
owner Of the steamship Meteor, which fitted TO
cruise after rebel vessels; that she fully tested
speed and capacity for the scrce that the
agreed TO buy her at tme but that since the fall OF
Fort Fisher the Secretary OF the Navy does not feel us
fled in buying her He asks Congress compensate him
for expenses incurred account of the government
This was referred to the Naval Committee
The QUESTION OF ADMITTING SENATOR'S FROM VIRGINIA.


Mr. WILEY, rep) Of W. Va, presented the credentials
Of Joseph segar Senator elect from the State vir-
gina to fill the vacancy occasoncd by the death of Mr.
| were read.


Mr. SUMNER rep) Of Mass moved to refer them to the


Mr. WILEY trusted they would not be referred. There
vas no reason why that should be done with Mr. Segars
credentials any more than with those of his prede
cessor.


Mr. CowAS !repl Of Pa hoped the Senate would not
refer the credentials If the Union were saved
must be done through the Of just such credentials
| rs these.


Mr. FASTER, trepl Of Conn., said If the credentials
| were referred, the Committee could do more than
inquire if they correct if the Of the State OF
Virginia attached to them and IL thew were in every
| respect conformable to law.


Mr. TRUMpUI, (rep) of H. said the Committee on the
Judiciary would have questions to decide than the
nero formaly of the CREDENTIALS 1t would have to
decide whether the Legislature that elected Mr. Segar
was properly constituted body; whether 1t had right
| to elect a Senator or not.


Mr. HOWARD, rep.) of Mich, favored the reference.
MT Segar represented political community at with
the United states, and in his opinion not entitled to
/ Senators this floor


Mr. suASER-I regret that question of this magni-
tude has been preciptated the Senate this late
period of the session, when there is much public
business that has yet to receive consideration The
Senator from Michigan does not exaggerate its magn
tude. Sir, 1t Is much to be Senator OF the United
States, with all the powers and privileges pertaining to
that ofice-powers and privileges diplomatic and
cuve; and the question whether all extra
ordinary and privileges shall be recognized in the
gentleman whose certificate has been sent to the Chair


thought it my duty sir hearing that certificate read
as entered the Chamber, to its reference
that there can be hesitation IN making that reference
Senators who VI hesitate show an insonsibity to the
o. the wtn M Is the ready to
| question Of this magnitude the Senate shall act with
It's eyes open-wde open know other way in which
that be brought about except through the inerven
uon OF the responsible committee Of ts body There
FORE sir proposed that the credentials should be
erred to that committee II will be the duy Of the
mittee to consider In the first place. whether State In
armed rebellion like Virginia. have this
practical II will be their duty then in the second
place, to inquire whether the gentleman whose crcden-
tss have been has been chosen legally under
the constitution OF the United States by any State do
not intend TO PREJUDICE either Of these questions Ismpy
offer them for the consideration Of the Senate but do
insist that measure Of this importance shall not b. acted
on without due consideration In absolute indifference
those facts which in the face, garng upon
|
cannot be nsensibe TO facts II is vain that Senator'S
say that Virginia. at against the Union enti
tied to representation on this floor, when you have be-
fore you the nexorabe fact that the UT part
State is at this moment in the possession Of armod
rebelion-when you have before you the other fact,
filling almost all the newspapers in the land that
body Of men who have undertaken to send Senator
Congress are little more than the Common Council Of
Alexandria And you have that question distinctly pre-
sented TO you whether representative Of the Common
Council Of Alexandria is to enter this chamber and share
the same powers and privileges with my honorable
friends the Senator's from New York and Pennsylvania
! merely open these points without now undertaking to
decide and simply as an unanswerable argument in favor
oil the reference TO the committed


Mr.. FOSTER followed Mr. Sumner taking the ground
would be whether the credentials we're according
to the form of law with tho signature Of the
and the seal Of the State attached If this was So they
must report favorably The committee had no more
right TO that Mr. Scgar should not take his seat if
HIS credentials were right than they had to say that the
Senator from Massachusetts, coming here with his ere
dentias was not entitled TO a scat


Mr. SumSEH-suppose II q matter Of notoriety that
came into this chamber with certificate OF body Of
men In Boston, not more in character and number than
city council and not supposed by public report to repre-
sent the State submit whether 1t would not be the duty
Of the senate 10 inquire into their origin


/ M FosrtT-Mr President, agree most decidedly in
the put by the Senator that would be the duty
the senaie TO do If the honorable Senator here
with credentials certified according to the usual form,
and signed by the Secretary Of State Of Massachusetts,
with the seal OF that noble Commonwealth attached
and certifying that he had been elected such
TO such date and those credentials proper FORM


submit TO the honorable Senator that referring that
document 10 the Judiciary Committee such question
As the honorable Senator suggests would be raised before
the committee or before the Senate The committee
would be charged with tho duty of examining the docu-
ment and II they found II In due form they would say
TO the senate and having said that they would say
more unless they travelled out OF tho record to nves


gate whether the honorable Senator had been duly elected
by the LEGISLATURE Of the State by the Common Coun
4 cal OF the city OF Boston.


Mr. HowAsp after remarks opposed to the rccog
milton Of the rights OF Virginia 10 representation this
noor moved amendment to the motion to refer
the Judiciary Committee that the committee be in
sructed TO inquire and report upon the election and
qualifications Of the claimant.


l Mr. wilson, trep.1 Of Mass, made some remarks in
which he stated that he In favor of recognizing the
| State government or Old Virginia


i Mr. WILEY replied TO the speech OF Mr. Sumner, and
asserted that the Legislature Of Virginia represented
hundred and sixteen thousand loyal people.


Mr SHERMAN, (rep) OF Ohio, said the credentials pre-.
cned the Senate puported say that Mr. scgar was
chosen Senator on the sth Of November last The
dentas had been held by him for than sixty DAYS
when every intslil knew that their
would give risc TO discussion II q grave political
question about which there radical difference o
| of opinion this body and throughout the country.
rebellion, involved In the question forced
! upon the Senate. Mr. Segar might bavo pre-.
scnted his credentials AZ privileged question
a. any time. He mir shorman) would asa the Senate
| whether II reasonable TO stop their deliberations
upon tho great bills OF the session. VIII ch prss
ing for consideration In order to decide this question,
which TO give rise to debate; and all this when
the tonteman had bis dentias for sixty days and he
could have but twenty days to serve unde7 them
admitted The term for which he was elected would
expire the fourth Of March. Was II reasonable 10 ask
the Senate to postpone all portan bills TO take up this
question II seemed " him that II not therefore,
without going into the merits OF the proposition he sub
nitted whether under the circumstances, the best dis
position was NOT to leave the question 70 be settled by
the next Congress MI. Sherman then moved that the
ercdontals be laid on the table


On TINS question tho yeas and nays demanded,
and t credcnt ais OF Mr. Seg were laid on The table
| by the following vote:--


c,lI ,asAsccmessrs Anthony, Brown Buokslew Chandler