Mr. RAYMOND. Well, sir, as the gentleman evidently evades the question, I waive it. l It is perhaps of little consequence. My own pesition upon that point I will not say it is the opinion ot the majority of this House. because I believe there is a dillerence of opinion among them upon that subject but my own position and the position of the President. as I know from his public declaration, is this: that each House of Congress has the right to judge of the qualifications of the men who present themselves for seats as members. do not mean that it has the right to dictate what those qualifications shall be; but it has the right to judge whether those men have the qualifications l which are required by the Constitution of the U.S. That right is absolute and exclusive, and is express y conferred n on this House by the Constitution of the U.S. Now, sir, one of the qualifications absolutely l requisite is loyalty; loyalty is an indispensable l competent, nay it is necessary, for this House, therefore. to inquire whether a man is loyal or I not before it admits him to membership. And it ‘mny inquire in any way that it sees fit, by prescribiu a test oath or by taking testimony as to the act. Now, sir, I hold that when a man presents himself here, submitting to that test, and is foundqualified by that investigation, if he can take the oath we have prescribed, ifhe can abide any test of loyalty we may impose, then it is our duty to admit him ifduly elected and returned to his seat in Congress. We have no right to say that his State, assuming that State to be in a loyal attitude, shall not have representation, and therefore to exclude him. We have no right to say that his State, though in a loyal attitude, though snstainin relations of true allegiance to the General government, shall not be represented in the General Government except upon certain conditions, unless and antishe passes certain laws and performs certain acts which we prescribe, and on that account to exclude him. We must exclude him, if we exclude him at all, because we deem him “disqualified.” And while this is our duty, I hed it also to be for our interest, the interest of congress and of the countr. I believe it to be the true way to deal with this whole question, for by so doing we shall draw a line of clear and marked distinction between the loyal and dis‘ loyal men of the southern States; and we shall give an example, moreover, to those who remain disloyal as to what they must do to obtain admission here.