Mr. HOWARD. By permission of the SenfromNevada, who holds the floor, I beg to say a few words by way of explanation of some of the statements made byt e Senfrom Connecticut. I do not propose at this moment to go into the consideration of the questions which have been discussed here, although I intend to do so before the discussion closes. I understand the Senfrom Connecticut to. say that myself and certain other gentlemen on this side of the Chamber strenuously opposed the admission, so to speak, of Louisiana at the last session upon the ground that the constitution then presented to us excluded negro suffrage, and that we entered into a sort of conspiracy or combination for the purpose of keeping out that State for that reason. really am at a loss to know upon what ground it is that the Senator makes such a statement. This is the 1st occasion that I have ever heard of such a reason operating either upon myself or those gentlemen with whom I cooperated. I know this, Mr. President, and the Senfrom Connecticut would have done well to have informed himself, I think, before he made so broad a statement as that, that I opposed the passage of the JtResolution to which reference has been made here, not because the constitution of Louisiana prohibited suffrage to the negro population, but because that constitution was got up under and by virtue of Military power; because it was not the free expression and voice even of the loyal portion of the people of Louisiana. It Was the result of Military occupation and military power present within about one 8th part of the State of Louisiana at the time when it was made; and at the time the effort was made to admit the Senators from that State into this body the U.S. had not possession of more than one 8th part of the territo of Louisiana, and a still greater proportion of the population was in the actual control of the re e armies and the rebel government. It was for this reason, and not because the constitution pro hibited negro suffrage, that I voted against the resolution offered by my honorable friendfrom Illinois to admit the Sens&Reps from that State. I rose to make this correction in order to take. away from the dexterous hand of the Senfrom Connecticut the use of that sly and what he regards as a poisonous dart, the love of negro suffrage. 1 at question had not arisen at that time, not certainly in my own mind. I acted upon broader principles. I noted upon the principle that the Executive at that time had no authority whatever to undertake or as sume, directly or indirectly, to impart political power or pohtical government to a conquered province or a conquered territory: and that is a groundu on which Ipropose to act still; and when the tiing is fairly looked into and examined in all its bearin s, it will be discovered that that is the great roc upon which we have split in this controversy. I will go no further on that subject at this present time.