Mr. HARDING, of Kentucky. It is very certain that if a precedent can be found where Congress has assumed to control the right of a member to resign to his constituents, it is an absurdity, and does not deserve to be argued, because no such thing can properly exist, and I would hold it as an authority ong since over ruled and exploded. But I do not understand it that way. The gentleman having a right to resign, the only question is, whether he has resigned or not. Whenever notice is 'ven to his constituents by any sort of publication that he has resigned, the seat is vacant. I know you may, by State legislation, provide that when a member of Congress resigns he must tender his resignation to the Governor, the SecyState, or some other officer; but in the absence of any such legislation nothing of that sort can be required of him. According to the law of Kentucky, there is no power in the Governor any more than in the constable to control that right, and the only reason why a letter of res ignation is addressed to the Governor is that that method of making it public is resorted to in order that the gentleman’s constituents may know it, and thereupon, the resignation having been published, the Governor can order a special election. Now, then, this is as clearly and fully brought before the House as it is possible. The letter of resignation has been mailed to the Governor of Kentucky, and a copy of it retained and has been read to the House. Now, in the face of all that, has anyone a right to say or insinuate that my colleague has not resigned? If he should return next week to this House and say he had not resigned, you would have power to act upon it. He cannot take advantage of his own wrong action. His letter has been read to the House, and he has declared that it has been transmitted to the Governor; and it is a humiliating and dark insinuation to throw out against any man under those circumstances thsthe may, notwithstanding all that return and seek a sent here. But even if he should seek to do so no injury can result, because having resigned he has lost the character of Representative, and the judgment of the House cannot be executed upon him as a Representative. But what I wanted to say more particularly, after having said this much, is this