Mr. ASHLEY, of Ohio. Now, Mr. Speaker, I hope I can go on without any more of these interruptions. From the outbreak of the rebellion l have sought to have all the Depts of the Government adopt and act upon this idea. I have held that the sovereignty of the nation was in the people who reside in the States which maintained constitutional State governments, recognizing the national Constitution as the supreme law of the land, and the Government which it created as the one to which all citizens owed a paramount allegiance. I have held that the BOVereignty of the nation could not be impaired or destroyed within the r territorial jurisdiction of the U.S. by the action, or the refusal to act, of anyone or more States. power in the nation. Holding these views, I insist that the people who maintained constitutional State governments, who, during the entire war, were Represented here, and who are now represented here, the people who maintained this national Government and at down the rebellion, have a right under the laws of war as conquerors to prescribe such conditions as in the judgment of the majority of this Congress are necessary for the national safety and the national security. This is the right of the conqueror under every law, human and divine. If this be not the true theory, then, indeed, is our national Government a rope of sand. Entertaining these ideas, at the extra session of Congress in July, 1861, I drew u a bill I did not present it until the reular session in December. On the 12th of It arch following, by the direction of the ComTerrito ries, I reported to this House “ a bill to proI vide temporary provisional goveruments for j the districts of country in rebellion against the 1 U.S. ” That bill, on the motion of I my then colleague, (Mr. Pendleton) was laid upon the table by a vote of 65 to 56, a number of Republicans voting with the Opposition, and a still lar or number not voting at all. At the 1st session of the 38th Congress, npon consultation, it was thought best to have a committee on the rebellious States, and the late Henry Winter Davis offered a resolution for the appointment of such a committee. The committee was raised, and he was appointed its chairman. After the committee was apointed, of which I was a member, Iagain introduced the old bill, with such modifications and additions as time had suggested. That bill which was reported passed both Houses of congress, but did not receive the sanction of President Lincoln, and therefore failed to become a law. At the 2nd session of the 38 h Congress I twain introduced the same bill with some modifications, and by direction of the committee I reported it to this House. After a number of efforts to modify it so as to secure a majority vote, it was lost, and we were left at sea.on this great question of reconstruction and today we are reaping the fruits of our stupidity and folly. I alludeto these facts to show how steadily the national mind has been marching up to this idea, that the men who remained loyal to this Government, who maintained constitutional State governments, and who during the war administered this Government are the Government.