Mr. SM ITH. Mr. Spaker, I wish to say only this: ifthe opinion oft ie ChiefJustice was correct, and that a civil trial would have been nothing less than a mockery, that in all the mass of civil ians a jury could not be found that would convict them of treason, would it not be a farce and mockery for a commission to be called? Isay that the position assumed by Congress and Chief Justice Chase, and other leading men in the country, to throw the whole onus of comlaint and blame upon the POTUS is wrong, unfair, and unjust. It is as certain to recoil upon them as the sun will rise and shine from ay today until the world shall end. Now, I know that attacks were made upon the POTUS long before this Congress met. I know that the very day this Congress was organized an attack was made upon him by which it was attempted to take out of his hands everything that bud been done or that he could do, and to reverse every principle which had been adopted for 6 or 8 months, and to place the whole matter in the hands of a committee, whose proceedings are so secret that no member of the House, even, is permitted to know what they are doing. Ihappened to vote for the appointment of that committee, and I am sorry for it. They say that full confession is good for the soul, and I am always ready to confess when I do wrong. I did vote wrong then, because I had but just entered the House, and I believed that the Union party, with what I had heretofore acted, was still composed of Union men who did not adhere to the infamous doctrine, which I had fought for 4 years, that a State is out of the Union, and not entitled to representation. I went with them, therefore; but the moment I found out that their policy was to maintain that the States were out of the Union, and should be treated as Territories, that moment I abandoned them. It was not the rest Union party, true to the Government an the I I understood Constitution. I belong to that, and stand by it today. The resolution which was offered by the Gentfrom Pennsylvania [Mr. Srsvsxs] did 1862 reflected my ideas then, and it exrcsses my ideas. now. If he and his friends have departed from it, it is not my fault. I choose to stand by it now, as I did then. Let me read it: "Resolved. That if any person in the employment of the U.S., in either the legislative or exocutive branch. should propose to make peace, or should acceptor proposeto acceptany such proposition, on any other basisthan the integrity and entire unity of the U.S and lhcir territor as they existed at the time of the rebellion, he will e guilty of a high crime." We then declared that it was a crime for a man to believe that this Union was dissolved, and today the Gentfrom Pennsylvania is guilty of that very crime; and I stand here today to assert it. I am sorry that he is not in his seat. If he were, I presume he would answer me as he did on a former occasion when my mouth was shut, and I was not )Clmittetl by the rules of the House to respon, in language which no gentleman would utter. I suppose he would make a similar res use today; butlet me say that anything that falls from such a mouth falls harmless at m feet, as its utterer is old, decrepit, and power ess. Now, I want to say as my timeis nearly out, that I believe in the nion of these States; I believe in the punishmentoftreason asa crime; I believe in the perpetuity of this Government; I believe in the Constitution and laws of my country; I believe it is the best, the purest, the most beneficent Government that God ever gave to man; and I rejoice with men of all colors, that this today is recognized gs a free Government. I am glad that the shackles of slavery have been stricken from the limbs of 4 million people, and that they are in the way of being elevated until they attain to the lull stature of manhood. I would throw no Obstacles in their way; I would do all I could to elevate them, and secure to them those rights to which they are entitled under the Constitution and laws of my country. But I want to see this Union restored; I want to see the States restored to their original positions in that Union. I want to see these seats filled; I want to see representatives both here, and on the floor of the Senate, from all the States, so that we maybe once more a united people, and united for good. Let us maintain the integrity of the nation, the Union of the States, the supremac of the Constitution, and the enforcement of the laws. Then, shall we transmit to posterity the liberties which we have enjoyed, based upon the rights of man, the liberties of the people, and in a country whose resources have scarcely begun to be developed. We shall O on and upward to greatness and glory. lhen, can we invite to Our shores the people of all nations, Opening to them the doors of civilization; educating and clevatin them, and providing them with comfortable omes; then shall we be the center of civilization, a rent, grand. glorious, and Christianized eo e, whose role shall spread from one on of the continent to the other; nay, throughout the world instructing man in the paths of truth, virtue, and equal liberty. LEAYE OI" ABSENCE. Mr. FTHOMAS asked and obtained leave of absence for his colleague, Mr. J. L. THOMAS, for Monday and Tuesday of next week. Mr. ltHER asked and obtained leave of absence for Mr. HOGAN for 2 weeks.