Mr. SUMNER. I will explain what my object is. We have on our tab o a report (which I think is one of the most extraordinary doc uments ever laid on our table from the SecyTreasury in which e sets forth that he has undertaken to disobey the act of congress prescribing the oath. He makes this report eliberately. In the course of it he says: “Even if the officeswere desirable to any but roa idonts. I have not sopposed that it would be the I icy of Congressto an cot. the people of the Senthorn the humiliation or therevenuesystemto the odium. which would bethe result of emploing northern man to collect Federal taxcs in the soul iem Stator and I have not doubted that Congress would so modifythe oath that this Dept would be sustainedin employing in the collecting of the revenuesthosewho y circumstances which they could not control. by been forcedinto the rebellion, but of when present loyalty there is no question.” He then proceeds to report that James M. Matthews entered upon the duties of collector of the customs at Tap annock, Virginia; William S. Croft upon the duties of collector at Georgetown, SCarolina; Gordon Forbes the duties of surveyor at Yeocomico, Virginia; William Y. Leitch the duties of surveyor at Charleston, SCarolina; F. M. Robertson the dutiesof special examiaor of drugs atCharles ton, SCarolina; Edgar M. Lazarus the daties of a praiser at Charleston, SCarolina; J. F. l. Walter the duties of appraiser at Charleston. SCarolina, without taking this oath; and he adds, by waiof supplement to his report, the form of the out which they did take, being an alteration of the oath prescribed by Congress. Now, if this had been in one case or 2 cases, it might have been an accident; but it is not an accident; the Secretary acknowledges it all; he avows it as a system on which he entered. He then goes on and furnishes a list of someI have not counted them, but I should say there must be some 25 names of officers who have entered upon their functions without taking this oath, in addition to the list which I have already read. Now, it seems to me that this course on the Ezrt of the Secretary ought to be corrected. I ow no wayin which it canbe reached except through the action of Congress. It seems to me, theretiore, congress ought in the most formal way to remin the Secretary of the act which he has chosen to set aside. Nobody here of course recognizes his power to set aside an act of Congress. Nobody of course will under take to justify him. Let us, then, remind him in the way that is left to us, here from our seats, that that act of Congress must be obeyed. These are the reasons which have revailed with me in offering this amendment. say sin cerely I do not wish to differ with the honorable Senfrom Maine, who has the conduct of the bill. If in his opinion, after what I have stated, the provision is unnecessary, ifhe thinks that the SecyTreasury does not need from Congress this reminder, if he thinks the past conduct of the Secretary is such as to give us assurance that for the future he will obey the acts of congress, then I shall be glad to follow his lead an dispense with this proviso; but, as at present advised, I do think it important.