use was driven
to the expedient of considering the members who were under arrest and
confined in a committee room, as present in their places. This having
been decided, the constitutional amendment was immediately ratified.
Governor Brownlow immediately sent the following telegraphic dispatch
to Washington:

"NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE, _Thursday_, July 19--12 M.

"_To Hon. E. M. Stanton, Secretary of War, Washington, D. C._

My compliments to the President. We have carried the
Constitutional Amendment in the House. Vote, 43 to 18; two
of his tools refusing to vote.

W. G. BROWNLOW."

On the 19th of July, the very day on which Tennessee voted to ratify
the amendment, and immediately after the news was received in
Washington, Mr. Bingham, in the House of Representatives, moved to
reconsider a motion by which a joint resolution relating to the
restoration of Tennessee had been referred to the Committee on
Reconstruction.

This joint resolution having been drawn up in the early part of the
session, was not adapted to the altered condition of affairs resulting
from the passage of the constitutional amendment in Congress. The
motion to reconsider having passed, Mr. Bingham proposed the following
substitute:

"Joint resolution declaring Tennessee again entitled to
Senators and Representatives in Congress.

_Whereas_, The State of Tennessee has in good faith ratified
the article of amendment to the Constitution of the United
States, proposed by the Thirty-ninth Congress to the
Legislatures of the several States, and has also shown, to
the satisfaction of Congress, by a proper spirit of
obedience in the body of her people, her return to her due
allegiance to the Government, laws, and authority of the
United States: Therefore,

_Be it resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives
of the United States of America in Congress assembled_, That
the State of Tennessee is hereby restored to her former,
proper, practical relation to the Union, and again entitled
to be represented by Senators and Representatives in
Congress, duly elected and qualified, upon their taking the
oaths of office required by existing laws."

On the following day, this joint resolution was the regular order, and
gave rise to a brief discussion.

Mr. Boutwell desired to offer an a