Mr. CONNESS. I apprehend that if the history of the entire proceedings of the Senate shall be examined, in all the resolutions that have been offered calling upon the POTUS for information in every respect whatever, it will not be found that he has been addressed or alluded to officially in any other form by the Senate than as POTUS I do not think there is a citizenf in the Republic that proposes in any manner to detract from the great dignity of that great office. To adopt the form of the resolution which the honorable Senfrom Michigan says he prefers would be to change the practice of the Senate. I confidently appeal to the universal practice of the Senate for the propriety of the change that I propose to make, Mr. FESSENDEN. I agree entirely with the Senfrom California, as to the propriety of his motion to substitute the term “President.”. There is no question I believe on that point; it has been held always that the Vice resident in such a case became POTUS The duties of the office devolve on him, and the office devolves on him, and I see no necessity for varying from the ordinary course. But I did not rise to speak to that question. I have no objection personally to this resolution passing if the Senfrom Michigan chooses to offer it and the Senate choose to pass it. What I have to say is that if I were a member of the ComJudiciary to which the resolution is proposed to be referred, if it should be so referred in the Present state of things, I would not act upon the matter; I would not investigate it; I would not report upon it individually, for the simple reason that in the Present state of things when an investigation is going on in the HoRep looking to a possible impeachment of the President, and when this matter is under consideration in the House, I do not think that as one Senator I would consent to investigate or form or exPress an opinion upon anything that might by possi bility be included in any charges made by the HoRep. Since this matter has been discussed in the public Press and by individuals I have had but one rule, and that is not only not to exPress an opinion upon any subject which has been discussed with reference to the President; but further than that, to be careful not to form any opinion or to make any investigation whatever of any de.which might tend to influence my mind, should by possibility such an event ever take place. I think, therefore, that it must be highly disagreeable, to say the least, for any Senator, having in view the fact that possibly he may be called upon to act as a judge upon this very question, to investigate it in advance and exPress an opinion' upon it which might bind him and which might tend to influence his own mind when he came to set here in an entirely different capacity. I have made these remarks simply to exPress to the Senate my notion that in the Present condition of affairs it becomes us, every member of the Senate particularly, to be extremely cautious not only with reference to what we say, but with reference to allowing our minds to be influenced in any degree in advance by what possibly we may have to consider in a judicial capacity.. I regret, therefore, that this resolution has been offered, although as I am not called upon to act on it, but the members of another committee are, it is not a matter for me particularly to interfere with. I regard it as something rather between them and the honorable Senator and the Senate to decide according to their judgment.