Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1865-12-29
HON. LANES GUTHRIE ON THE CAU-
CTS RESOLUTION.

Gus RESOLUTION.
We extract the following from the re-
cent Senate proceedings, as ~embodying
the views of Senator Guthrie of Ken
lucky.
fMr. Guthrie-I wish tOask the friends
Of this resolution if it is contemplated
that this Committee shall take evidence
and report that evidence TO the two
Houses. If they are only to take what is
open to every member Of the Senate the
fact hattherebellionha has been suppressed;
the fact that the President Of the United
States has appointed officers 20 col
lect the taxes, and in some instances
Judges and other officers; that he has
sent the post Office into all the States /;
that there hare been found enough indi-
viduals loyal to the country 30 accept the
| offices; the fact that the President has
issued his proclamation to all these
| States appointing Provisional Governors,
thst they have all elected conventions,
that the conventions have rescinded the
ordinances Of secession, that most of
them have amended their constitutions
and abolished slavery, and the Legisla-
lures OF some of them have passed the
amendment 70 the ConstitutionOnthesub
iect of slavery-if they arc only to take
these facts which are open and clear u
Us all, I can see no necessity for such q
committee. My principal objection TO
the resolution Is, that this committee can
give US no information which We do not
now possess, coupled with the fact that
the loyal conservative men of the United
States, North, South, East and West, do
most earnestly desire that We shall so set
that We are the United States of Amer
lea in full aecOrd and harmony with each
other.
II know it has been said that the Pre-
sideDt had no authority to do these
things. l read the Constitution and
Laws Of this country differently. He Is
70 take care that the laws be faithfully
executed; > he is to suppress insurrectiOn
and rebellion. The power is put in his
hands, and l do not see why, when he
marches into a rebel State, he has not
authority to put down a rebel Govern
ment and put up a Government that Is
friendly to the United States and
in accordance with it. / do not see
why he can not do that while the
war goes on, and / do not see
Why be may not do it after the war IS
over. The people in those States lie at
the mercy Of the nation. l see no usur-
patton in what he has done, and II The
! tCOrk is WeH done, /, for one, a ready 70
| accent 4. Are we to send out a commits
| sion to see what the men whom he has
appointed have done? It is said that
! they are not to be relied on; that they
have Desl guilty of treason, and we will
! not trust them. / think this will
be "a cold shock TO the warm
feelings of the nation for r~estora-
ton; FOR equal privileges and equal
rights. They We're in instruction. We
have suppressed that instruction. They
! are nOtC States Of The Union, and il they
! come here GccOrding TO the lars Of the
States, they are entitled, n ing judy
meHt, 10 representation, and we hare no
| riqht % refuse Il. They are in a minor
ity even If they meant now what they
felt when they raised their arms against
the Government; but they do not, and
of those whom they vii send here to
represent them, nineteen out of the
twenty will be Just as loyal as any Of us
eEcn some Of those who took up arms
against Us.
II really hope to see some one move a
modification of the test oath, so that
those who have repented Of their dislOy-
atty may not Ds excluded, for | really be-
lieve that q great many o. those VINO
took up arms honestly and wished to
carry out the doctrine of secession, and
who have succumbed under the force of
our arms and the great foFoe Of public
opinion. can be trusted q great deal more
than those who did not fight at all.
40 conclude, gentlemen, l see no
great harm in this resolution, except the
representation that will result from it,
and that will give US nothing but what
we have before us.n