,
and, therefore, every person admitted to a seat is admitted by, in fact,
a vote of the Senate. The ordinary course in the Senate is, when
the credentials appear to be perfectly regular, and there is no
notorious and undisputed fact or circumstance against the qualifications
and election of a senator, to admit him at once and settle the question
of his right afterward. But there have been cases in which the Senate
declined to admit a claimant holding a regular certificate upon the
ground that enough was known to the Senate to justify its declining to
receive him until an inquiry should be had. Very truly yours,

"GEORGE F. EDMUNDS."

Now, Mr. President, all this twaddle about the women being in is based
upon the pretence that one woman is there now. The certificate shows
that they were women, though as yet no action has been taken in regard
to them at all. If they were in, they were in with a constitutional
challenge. I champion the holy cause of women. I stand here to champion
their cause against their being introduced into this body without their
own sex having had the opportunity of expressing their opinion upon
the subject. I stand here to protect them against being connected with
movements without law or contrary to law, and those who wish to bring
them in and those who say it is the constitution of the man and
prejudice (my friend, Dr. Potts, said prejudice), they are persons,
indeed, to stand up here as, _par excellence_ the champions of women!
Is it the constitution of the men? Have you read the letter of
Mrs. Caroline Wright in the _Christian Advocate_, one of our most
distinguished American Methodist women? She does not wish to see them
here. It is the constitution of the woman in that case, and I am opposed
to their being admitted until the general sentiment of the women and the
men of our Church have an opportunity of being heard upon it.

Now, Mr. President, note these facts.... This is not a fact, but
my opinion. I solemnly believe that there was never an hour in the
Methodist Episcopal Church when it was in so great danger as it is
to-day, not on account of the admission of these women, two of whom I
believe to be as competent to sit in judgment on this question as any
man on this floor. That is not the question, as I propose to show. I
assert freely, here and now, if the women are in under the Restrictive
Rules, no power ought to put them out. If they are not in under the
Restrictive Rules, nothing h