Mr. CONKLING. By the courtesy of the Gentfrom Kentucky I want to add a single word to the statement of the Gentfrom Ohio, [Mr. Dsmxofl and perhaps I can do it best by saying, in the beginning, thatl disclaim and deny haying expressed any such opinion as has been attributed to me by the Gentfrom Kentucky. [Mr. Rousseau] I have, upon the particular point which was then under consideration, an opinion which I have held for some time, and as I have no concealments, I should be very ready to state it now if I were not occupying the floor by the courtes of the Gentfrom Kentucky. Passing that, I have only to say that, on the occasion to which he refers, eXpressing no Opinion myself, intimating no opinion myself, I simplyrequested the chairman of the Committee of laims to state to the House and to me what the law was, in hisjudgment, upon the point suggested and I think thutit is quite unwarranted for any gentleman to as sume that I held the same opinion exressed by the chairman of the Committee of laims, or an opinion different from him. One word further, and only, one. The question upon that occasion was totally foreign to the question the gentleman is discussing here; and want to say that I have never expressed the opinion that any loyal man, wherever he might live, was the enemy of his country in any sense imlied by the remarks of the Gentfrom entucy. Farfrom it. Nor have I ever expressed an opinion upon the ical question which gentlemen have mbeeteanphy|ss" cussing, of the abstract status of these States. In my Judgment, that question is destined to de generate into a subordinate question for present purposes here. It may be a great question in rhetoric, it may be a great question in history, it may be a great question before the courts, and perhaps a great question of state craft, although I do not believe it. For the rpose before the House, I consider the who a argu. ment as to the particular status, in theory, of these States, from time to time, an abstraction, and destined, us I say, to degenerate into a subordinate question. I have exressed no opinion upon it, and I wish the Gentfrom Kentucky [Mr. Roussssu] to withdraw his intimation with regard to me.,