February 5, 1862
The Senate resumed the consideration of the resolution submitted by Mr. Wilkinson, the 16th of December, for the expulsion of the honorable Jesse D. Bright from the Senate, and reported upon adversely by the Committee on the Judiciary; and
After debate,
On the question to agree to the resolution as follows:
Whereas the honorable Jesse D. Bright, heretofore, on the first day of March, eighteen hundred and sixty-one, wrote a letter of which the following is a copy:
"Washington, March 1, 1861.
"My Dear Sir: Allow me to introduce to your acquaintance my friend, Thomas B. Lincoln, of Texas. He visits your capital mainly to dispose of what he regards a great improvement in fire-arms. I commend him to your favorable consideration as a gentleman of the first respectability, and reliable in every respect.
"Very truly yours,
"JESSE D. BRIGHT.
"His Excellency Jefferson Davis,
"President of the Confederation of States."
And whereas we believe the said letter is evidence of disloyalty to
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the United States, and is calculated to give aid and comfort to the public enemies: Therefore--
Resolved, That the said Jesse D. Bright be expelled from his seat in the Senate of the United States.
It was determined in the affirmative,
Yeas ... 32
Nays ... 14
Those who voted in the affirmative are,
Messrs. Anthony, Browning, Chandler, Clark, Collamer, Davis, Dixon, Doolittle, Fessenden, Foot, Foster, Grimes, Hale, Harlan, Henderson, Howard, Howe, Johnson, King, Lane, of Indiana, McDougall, Morrill, Pomeroy, Sherman, Simmons, Sumner, Trumbull, Wade, Wilkinson, Wilmot, Wilson, of Massachusetts, Wilson, of Missouri.
Those who voted in the negative are,
Messrs. Bayard, Carlile, Cowan, Harris, Kennedy, Latham, Nesmith, Pearce, Powell, Rice, Saulsbury, Ten Eyck, Thomson, Willey.
So the resolution was agreed to--two-thirds of the senators present having voted in the affirmative; and it was
Resolved, That the said Jesse D. Bright be expelled from his seat in the Senate of the United States.
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