Mr. TRUMBULL., If I “mamas therea olution as the Senfrom Indiana does, I should certainly vote with him; but I do not so understand it as it has been amended. That was the very objectionto the resolution in the form in which it (mach0m the HoRep, butmsiitrhas been amended it is simply “remM31 Jtcommutes be 1 1865.” 29 positive not they t I;n "U 71 raised to inquire into the condition of the States which formed the socalled confederate States of America, and to report whether they or any of them are entitled to be represented in either House of Congress, with leave to report at any time by bill or btherwise. It is true, as the Senator says, that after having raised thiseom mittec, the Senate will not be likely to take action in regard to the admission of the Senators from any of these States until the committee shall have had a reasonable time at least to act and report; but it is very desirable that we should have joint action upon this subject. It would reduce a very awkward and unesirable state o things in the mind, I doubt not, of the Senfrom Indiana himself, if the HoRep were to admit members from one of the lately rebellious States and the senate were to refuse to receive Senators from the same State. We all know that the State or nizations in certain States of the Union have been usurped and overthrown. This is a fact of which we must officially take notice. There was a time when the Senfrom Indiana, as well as myself, would not have thought of receiving a Senfrom the Legislature or what pu orted to be the Legislature of SCarolina When the people of that State, by their representatives, undertook to withdraw from the Union and set up an independent government in that State in hostility to the Union, when the body acting as a Legislature there was avowedly acting a aiust this Government, neither he nor I would have received representatives from it. That was a usurpation which by force of arms We hav. but down. Now the question arises has a Sta e government since been inaugurate there entitled to representation? Is not that a fair subject of inquiry? Ought we not to be satisfied upon that point? TVe do not make such an inquiry in reference to members that come from States which have never undertaken to deny their allegiance to the Government of the U.S. Having once been admitted as States they continue so until by some row off their alle iauce, and assume an attitude of hostility to the Government, and make war upon it; and while in that condition I know we should all object that they, of course, could not be represented in the congress of the U.S. Now, is it not a proper subject for inquiry to ascertain whether they have assumed a position in harmony with the Government; and is it not proor that that inquiry should be made the subject of joint action? I think we could get at it in another way as well perhaps as by this JtCommee. We coul, by instituting a committee of our own, or by referring this subject to a committee of our own, have it investigated and have a resolution reported, as was done by the judEiAiygom mittee of the Senate last session when a report was made, not in favor of admitting to seats the persons claiming seats and who presented ere entials, but in favor of recognizing as legitimate and lawful, and entitled to representation, an organization which was set up after the rebellion had been put down in one of the rebel States. If that resolution had been passed by the Senate, it would have one to the HoRep, and in that way we Should have a concurrent action. I t h in wk e might have it without this JtCommee dam peraps quite as weli but tha HoRep have desired a Jtcommittee on this subject; we all desire joint action, cooperation. All the friends of the Union, all men who desire to see harmony and good feeling restored between all palts of the non-must desire harmonious action between the different branches of congress and all Depts of the Government. The House o Representatives thought, in sending us this resolution, that the bes way to accomplish that was through a JtCommee. If I supposed it divested t Senate of its constitutional prerogative to judge of the elections, retains and qualificalions of its Own members, I could not support it. I never would have suppdrted this resolution as it came from the HoRep, be and beoamipgpfljmnh is not Suscep i e, in my judgment, ot the construction which my friendfrom RhdIsland in his liberality was disposed to at upon it, when he suggested that it might e questionable whether credentials went to this committee. As the resolution was framed, and as it came from the HoRep, it provided that until a report should have been made by this committee and finally acted on by congress “no member shall be received into either House from any of the socalled confederate States, ” expressly providing that no member should be received in either House; “and all papers relating to the representation of said States shall be referred to said committee without debate, ” sending the credentials to aJtCommee; that is, raising a committee of the 2 Houses to determine whether persons would be entitled to seats in either 0use,which would certainly be a very extraordina proceeding, and one not warranted by the constitutiou. But as the resolution is altered I do not think it suscc tible of the construction which the Senfrom Indiana uts upon it. I should have said nothing but or his remarks, and I have only said this much to preclude the idea that I would vote for a resolution which took from citheffimrse"th constitutioual prerogative which the Constitution in express terms has conferred.