Mr. HENDERSON. I regret very much that this preamble has been so gested, not that it takes away anything from the resolution or adds anything to it, but simply because it will be regarded as committing those gentlemen who vote for the resolution to everything that may be said in the preamble. We cannot vote for this preamble without crossing the o inions of a good many of our friends here. hat is a very certain fact; and I think that it is totally and wholly unnecessary to force those of us who may disagree to the facts stated in the preamble to vote for it in order to accom plish the end to be desired. I mean the preample that has been presented b the ComJudiciary. It is a bad system anyhow to undertake to set out any facts in the preamble that you can dispense with. It is better that the able Senator who has this resolution to take the resolution, as was very properly stated by the Senfrom Iowa, because it carries within itself everything that we desire to assert. I do not. like the preamble that comes from the House. [would prefer that that preamble should be entirely dropped with the exception of that part of it which declares that the people of Tennessee have adopted the amendment of the Constitution which was ro posed at the present session of Congress. hat is enough, because that will indicate to the people that upon that fact, that.Tennessee has adopted that constitutional amendment, we are satisfied to receive her; that is, if we are sat isfied upon any facts at all. The resolution itself says: That the State of Tennessee is herebyrestoredto her former proper.practical relationsto the Union, If she could be restored without the action of Congress, as has been very properly said, what would be the use of making this declara fion? And is againentitled tobe representedby Sens&Repsin Congress. If we declare by law that she is entitled now to be represented, the inference of course is that without this act of Congress she would not be so entitled. What is the use of thus exressin it. unless that be the fact? s to the preamble that has been reported by the ComJudiciary, I do not. know the facts stated in it, and therefore I shall notvote that I do know them. It is a mere assertion of facts, and unless I know those facts I shall not. vote for them. The 1st isAnd whereasthe people of said State did. on the 22dday of February. 1865b;.y a large popular vote, ado t and ratify a constitution of government.re pubiconin form and not.inconsistentwith the constitution and lawsof the U.S. The honorable chairman of the ComJudiciary has seen fit to propose this new preamble without giving us a copy of the constitution of Tennessee. I am certain I have not read it; I do not know what that constitution is; and I am called upon, without ever having this preamble printed, to cast an important vote declaring that proposition. I do not know any such thing. Iy collca us [Mr. Bnowx] says that he is not prepared to vote that Tennessee has a constitution republican in form. One thing I do know, that the able Senfrom Massachusetts, [Mr. SUMNER] my colleague, and various others that I can point out in this body, will not vote that the constitution of Tennessee is republican in form, at.least since the adoption of the constitutional amendment abolishing slavery. We understand I have it from parties interested, from the members of Congress elect from Tennessee who are most urgent in having her admitted i that she excludes the entire negro populatio everlastingly from the ballot. How can the abl, Senfrom Michigan and the able Senfromi Massachusetts, my own colleague, and various} others, vote for that proposition? I am astonished that it should be assented to by the Senatorl from Ohio, [Mr. WADE, ] who, in a discussion here a short time ago said that he regarded no constitution as republican in form' which excluded from the ballot the negro population. There are pei ha is 4 or 500,000 negroes itn e State of Tennessee entirely excluded by this constitution; and Congress is, called upon to declare that that constitution is: republican in form. I am making no objection to it; but. why force our frien s here who do object to it to vote it? The Senfrom Ohio says that it is very impro or to refer to the President. But suppose t at.the Presidentvetoes this proposition and it is sent back to us; will my colleague vote for it? Will the Senfrom Massachusetts vote for it, or will he sustain the President’s veto? He will be forced to sustain the veto. Why? Simply in consequence of a statement in the preamble that this constitution is republican in form. Why put our friends in this: situation? ls there any nevus sity for it? I think not; and I sincerely hope in charge will see fit to withdraw so much at least of this preamble as asserts that proposition, because although he and myself may believe that this constitution is republican in form, yet we on ht at least concede something to the views an opinions of able and distinguished Senators who think otherwise. Be sides, even if I thought this constitution republican in form, I am not prepared to so. that it. does not in any manner conflict with the laws of the U.S. I do not know whether that is so or not. Again, the reamble declares that by the constitution of ennessee all “ordinances and laws of secession and debts contracted under the some were declared void.” I do not.know that fact. I ask the distinguished Senator who is chairman of the ComJudiciary, is he prepared to say that the constitution of Tennessee abolishes all “ordinances and laws of secession and debts contractedunderthe same?” There was a volume of legislation published by the Tennessee Legislature every year. I do not know whether all of those laws are made void or not. I am not prepared to say whether the people of Tennessee have seen fit. to wipe out every vestige of secession, and to draw from their government the virus of op position to the U.S. that they indulge in during the late war.