Mr. BENJAMIN. Mr. Speaker, the State of Missouri, which would be more sensibly af fected by the proposition of the Gentfrom Ohio [Mr. Senm exe ] than any other State Represented upon this oor, has not yet had an opportunity to express herself, through her Representation here, upon this question. If I correctly understand the proposition of the Gentfrom Ohio, it proposes to base representation upon voters as determined by the laws of the respective States. It is well known to every gent eman upon this floor that the State of Missourihas endeavored and as she thinks, has succeeded, in lacing the government of that State in loyal and s; in other words, she has disfranchised the rebel element of that State. In doing this she has probably disfranchised 1/2 of the voters of that State. Hence, by the adoption of the substitute of the Gentfrom Ohio the delegation of thestate of Missourion this floor would be reduced from 9 members to a number not exceeding four. By the adoption of this preposIitfion we should virtually any to that State you remove that restriction upon the rebel element of that State, so that that element shall control the destiny of that State and send a rebel delegation to Congress, you may continue to have 9 members; but if, on the other hand, you adhere to that restriction which you have imposed, you shall have only 3 or 4 Representatives.” The adoptionof this proposition would virtually sayt e same thing to every one of the southern States that is today knocking at our doors for admission. You would thereby say to the State of Louisiana, “If you shall reconstruct upon the principle which has been adopted by Missouri and i Maryland, you shall be restricted to one member; whereas if you permit the whole of the rebel element within your borders to control your destinies you shall have 5 Representatives.” The reconstruction policy of Missouriwe of that State hold up as a model for imitation by the States of the South; and I for one declare here today that when anyoneof the lately re bellious States shall present herself here, taking the same position thatMissourihas taken, showing a determination to place and continue in loyal hands the destinies of the State, I am ready at any time to vote for the admission of such State. The effect of the proposition of the Gentfrom Ohio, so far as regards missouri, would be to a great extent to stifle the Union sentiment of the State. The representatives of the Union cause there would be unable to o before the people and sustain themselves under the operation of such an amendm ent. The proposition would prove in its prac tical workings ecidedly unjust in every State where the rebel element prevails, and more particularly in the State I in part represent. I hope this House is not disposed to perpetrate such an injustice. Mr. Speaker, another objection to this preposition is that it is impracticable; it cannot be carried out. The right of suffrage in the State of Missouri is based upon the out of the party. No individual can deposit his ballot unless he subscribes an oath that during the rebellion he has been loyal and has never in any manner given aid or comfort to the enemy. Are you going to require the censustaker to hunt out every male citizen of the State and administer to each one that oath? You cannot ascertain who are voters in that State except by tendering to every male citizen the out prescribed by the laws of that State. Will on say to the censustaker in. that State that e shall personally propose to every male citizen of State that oath of loyalty, and shall count every man who takes it? Everybody can see that such a thing is utterly impracticable. The censustaker would fail to find many who were really entitled to vote. Thus a portion of the loyal men, the voters of the State, would be excluded from the enumeration, and thus the representation from our State would be still further reduced. I contend that it would be utterl impossible for the censustaker to ascertain the exact number of those really entitled to the right of suffrage; and thus the injustice of the proposition is still further aggravated.