Mr. 13 lSSENDEN. I will show you about that in a very few minutes; I am prepared on that subject. The Senfrom WWestVirginia must satisfy himself. If he is afraid that his innocence will be entrapped into doing something that he does not want to do, and therefore he must be careful on all occasions for fear he will find himself where he does not want to find himself. it is his business, not mine. I can take care of all my votes at any rate. All these statements with regard to tying the hands of the Senate are merely volunteer; they have no foundation. It is a more, I was about to say, excuse for gentlemen which they never dreamed of when they voted for the proposition which I have just road, which they never dreamed when others similar to it were voted for; but just now it is convenient to set up that what they were willing to agree to as a law of the land they cannot put iuthe shape of a concurrent resolntiou, for fear they may be over stepping the properbounds of the Constitution! Now. let us go a little further. The Senfrom WestVirginia has said something that I wanted somebody to say here in direct terms; he has imputed to the committee of 15 a disposition to delay action upon this matter. But before I come to that: let me any that when gentlemen talk about the committee assuming jurisdiction that.v did not belong to it in reporting a resolution for the amendment of the Constitution they are talkin without the book. That resolution subsmntia y was specifically referred to that committee by the HoRep. Do not Senators know, is there any man here who will dispute, that when there is a JtCommee, and either House refers a subject to it, as either House may do it becomes its duty, certainly its right an privilege, toreport upon it3 That has been the acknowledged law of proceeding of the Senate ever since I have been a member of the body always. I know it for I have been a member of 2 JtCommees: one the JtComPrintg, and the other the JtcomLibrary. These committees exist, and when either House refers a subject to a JtCommee, no matter what. if it takes jurisdiction, (and it been right to take jurisdiction by the reference.) it becomes its duty to report in some way or other. Now, in regard to the resolution proposing to amend the representation clause of the Constitution, my colleague in the other House, Mr. BLAINE, sent it directly to the comReconstruction; and another gentleman of the House, Mr. CONXLING, of NewYork, sent the some measure, in other terms, varied a little, to the ComReconstruction. Had or had we not a right to report upon it? Were we trav eling out of ourjurisdiction? Were we doing what gentlemen have undertaken to say here scveral times we had no right to do, taking u something not referred to us I They should understand the facts before they make these assertions, and know something of what has been done in both branches of Congress. N ow, sir, a few words as to the question whether we have purposely delayed, whether there has been a disposition to delay in this matter. I have spoken of what the committee has done. Now let us inquirenbout how action has been delayed. I would like to give you a little history. This subject was in need in! Congress early, and the resolution authoriri the appointment of the Jtcommitteo came to the Senate at the beginning of droasiun Senate deliberated upon it. It did not like the last clause, or thought it expedient to leave it off. It was taken up I do not know whether it went to a committee or not and the last clause struck off; it was passed as amended, and the House agreed to the amendment. When was that done? When was the committee appointed? I have taken the pains to look at this matter a little and see how the fact stands. That resolution was finally adopted by the concurrence of bothvHouses on the 13th of December, 1865. The committee was appointed in the Senate on the 21st of December, and on the same day, the 21st of December, Congress by a joint vote adjourned to meet on the 5th of January, 1866. Of course the committee could not meet during the recess. I suppose the Senator will admit that.