February 23d, on motion of Mr. Trumbull, the Senate proceeded to consider the resolution, when Mr. Sumner moved the following substitute:—
“That neither the people nor the Legislature of any State, the people of which were declared to be in insurrection against the United States by the Proclamation of the President, dated August 16, 1861, shall hereafter elect Representatives or Senators to the Congress of the United States, until the President, by proclamation, shall have declared that armed hostility to the Government of the United States within such State has ceased, nor until the people of such State shall have adopted a Constitution of Government not repugnant to the Constitution and laws of the United States, nor until, by a law of Congress, such State shall have been declared to be entitled to representation in the Congress of the United States of America.”
This was lost,—Yeas 8, Nays 29.
February 24th, Mr. Lane, of Kansas, moved that the resolution be made the special order for the next day at one o’clock. In the debate on this motion the following colloquy occurred.
Mr. Sumner. If we are to make any special order for to-morrow, I think it should be the bill which the Senate has most maturely considered, and on which it is most prepared to vote, known as the Railroad Bill, in charge of my friend from Michigan [Mr. Chandler]. The Senator from Illinois [Mr. Trumbull] came forward with his measure——
Mr. Conness. Will my friend permit me—I know he will—to appeal to him not to waste the fifteen minutes we have left in discussing the order of business, but let us take a vote?…
Several Senators (to Mr. Sumner). Give up.
Mr. Sumner. Senators say, “Give up.” That is not my habit.
Mr. Conness. We know that. [Laughter.]