Mr. STEVENS. Not now. Mr. Speaker, I shall occupy a moment in sequence of the extraordinary remarks made he Gentfrom Maine, [Mr. Baum 2.] characterizes the amendment in the worst I of terms. Before the South turned rebel, law as it was understo0d allowed to each gressional district a cadet, on the nomina to the Dept of the representative of district. such was the Uniorm practice, such now is the practice in the loyal States. 1bers are notified when vacancies happen ieir districts and are requested to nominate ll them. such is the law. Now, when the ll went out and were no longer here there nobody who would fulfill the law and makeinations. It may have been a misfortune, was to some loyal men, to live under a rnment which was disloyal and hostile to:oun try; but they took the condition of the living in the district; all suffered alike. ough they were free from punishment, mgh they ought not to be punished perlly for anything done therc, yet therothey; their destiny was bound up with the des tlzle government de facto under which we. e gentleman says I call them foreign governmenm; I call them alien to all the rights of this Government while they are in that condition. It has been decided all their citizens were enemies according to the law of nations. Now, sir, I object to the President or anybody else goingdown there and selecting, against the law. individuals, however innocent, and giving them a preference beyond the law over those of the North. I know the Presidentand several of the Secretaries did violate the law; I do not say shamefully, ns it was under a misapprehension. I think they appointed 70 or 80 cadets, on the nomination of a few Senators, from my district and other districts when there was no power for it. This provision is intended to correct that. It goes no further than to put in plain language the duties of the officers of the Government, so that the States lately in rebellion shall not be entitled to come in and have any of the privileges of this Government until, as my friend says, they are rehabilitated. I can understand how men who think, as we all do here, that these States are entitled to no privilege until declared so by Congress will support teamendment. I can also understand with what propriety the politicians of a mixed character can vote for the amendment of the Gentfrom Maine; but I cannot understand how we can stultify ourselves by going for it.