story of Congress. The
resolutions then adopted become the deliberate conviction of the
majority of the Congress of the United States, who substitute their
own judgment, and their own wisdom, and their own will, for the
wishes, the opinions, respectfully submitted to them by the
representatives of those States, and take the responsibility of saying
that this is what the Peace Convention should have submitted, instead
of the proposition which they have sent here.

Mr. HUNTER:--I wish to make a suggestion in regard to the real
position of this question, as it now appears before us. The arguments
that have been urged by the Senator from Pennsylvania and the Senator
from New York might very well be brought up against the propriety of
adopting the amendment; but, so far as the question itself stands, it
is only brought before us by a report of our committee. The Peace
Conference had no power to present questions or make communications to
us; but they having made a communication, and we, having respect for
that body, agreed to take it up, and we referred their proposition to
a committee. The only authority which we have now for considering it
in the Senate, is on the recommendation of our committee. This
proposition stands here as a recommendation of that committee to alter
the Constitution, as proposed by this Conference. It being their
recommendation in regard to the alteration of the Constitution, under
our rules it stands like a bill; and I have a right to move to amend
it, section by section; and in doing so, I should be pursuing the
method taken by the Peace Conference, as I understand, for I am told
they never took a vote on it as a whole, but voted on it proposition
by proposition; and in fact, the majority who passed the propositions
were composed of different States, and they never did take a vote on
the articles as a whole.

Now, I am proposing to amend this as it comes up, proposition by
proposition; and if it would be in order for me to make such a motion,
supposing that this proposition had originated with a committee of
this body, who had made a report proposing such amendments to the
Constitution, I should have a right to make it now, for it is only in
that way that it appears legally before us. I say, then, so far as the
question of order is concerned, it seems to me that I have clearly a
right to do it. I would be willing, in order to get rid of the
question of order, to move to strike out the preamble too