, 1865-12-18
RECONSTRUCTION.
Important Debate in the Senate,
- -: Dee. E2, 1866.
KemaFkn Of Senators Howard Deo-
lftues Eef>cnAen and Tramb1u on
the House kesolQtlon.


take up the resolution from the House OF
Representatives,, appointing a committee to
inquire into the condition Of the 5iatcs which
formed the so-called Confederate States oi
America
The motion was agreed to, and the Senate
proceeded to consider the following resolution
from the House or Representatives:
ee1tdises n CongTrss cssex*ed. 1hst Joint COM
GIVE fMbo@ n tsii % be ] meoess % of tse m asuse s1a IL
condition ., The states which formed the soca1led
they or any OF lhem, ate emitted to be represented
In either House Il Consress; with Iearr 10 report
at any tfne, by blu Or Otherwise; and .un.a such
By Congress, no member shall be rccetTed Into
either Houso IRON any of The said sncaled Confeder
ase sases; and AZ papesS relating 70 he rpsesen;
tation 9f ssd Stsea spal b. ref1ed to the ss,d
Mr. AN1uoSY-l move to amend the eu-
acting clause Of the resolution, which now
reads as a joint resolution, 80 as to mako II q
concurrent resolution, fnasmuch as . joint
resolution goes to the President Tor his sigma.
ture.i so
The amendment was agreed TO-.
Mr.. AHTHoNY-I move further to amend
the resolution BY striking out all after ths
word "othcrwfse.''
The words proposed to be stricken out we're
'And mill such repors .ha1l ha.e been made,
md finally acted % By Congress. no Menbez shsIi
be recesEed into ct1her House from my Of Tie ssid
81 & ss ss saS y % s
to the ra1d committee without depate.r',
isksAroR now4nn'a asAARxs.
Mr.' 'HowAnn-3fr. President, l cannot vots
for that amendment. prefer the resolution
as 1t CAME from the House Of Representatives,
because, whether the concurrent resolution
has OF hns not the effect OF Law, II certainly
contains within itself pledge on tho part or
the two Houses, given the one to the olher.
mittee shaM haTe been presented, EeM1i not
rcsadnlit my Of the rebel States, either BY
recognition Of their Senators or by their
Representatives. I think, sir, the country
expects nothing less than this 1T our hands.
I think that portion Of the loyal people Of
the United States who hive sacrificed 20
mrch Of blood and treasure In the prosecu-
tion Of the war, and WHO secured to l1s the
s1gna1 victory which We have achleycd over
the rebellion, hare right to nt least this
assurance ut our hands, .hat neithe. House Of
ConsEe:s-5; "M recognize .as States any Que Of
the rslel States until the event to which
sir, what Is the present position and
statns Of the rebel Statess In my Judgment
they are simply conquered communftics, sub-
juEated By tie arms Of the United Statcs-
communities IN which the right of selfsov-
crnmcnt does not now exist Why Be-
cnuse they hase been for the last four ycars
hostile, 10 the authority OF the United States,
aud have during that period been Waginz
bloody WAT against that authority. They a1e
simply conquered communities; and we hold
them, aa We know well, " the world knows
to-day, not By their own free will and con-
sent rs members Of the Union. but solely by
virtue Of cur superior military power, which
is exerted TO that effect throughout tho
length ind breadth OF the rebel States. There
Is in those States no riEhtfM authority, ac-
ccrdfpg 10 my view, at this time but that of
the United States, and every political act,
every governmental act exercised within
their limits, must necessarily be exercised and
Of the conqucror.
In short, Elr, they are not to-day loyal
States their population are not willing to-
day, We n1e rightly informed, to perform
pea eaceably, quietly, and efficiently tho duties
Which Peraaln to The population Of State u
cannot consent to recognize them, even In.
directly ~ entitled to be Represented in either
House Of Congress Mt this time. The time
has not yet come, In my Judgment, to do
thus, and object to the amendment for the
reGeon M That It 1eares the implieatloli-an the
stood tJ the 'publie-that one or tic other
Nouse o. congress may, whenever 1t sees Ut,
1sSdpn seoators and Representatives from q
rene etats as i seq ~, without fhe CONCUR
lense l':9se o! we other Aouse, and bold to pc
utterly incompetent for the Senate, under tic
present condition Of things, md for the House
Of EeprssentatiEcs, nndert tue same condition,
Ha, 70 aamA senators Or retrospective Into
Congress without the consent of both Houses
and the formal recognition Of the fact that
hostiliies hase esassd y and that loyalty Il re-
si9red ~ ahs rebel states. 81
:. think. sir+ tAat under present circrm-
stances It is dne to the country that We
ShSma ei gre item the assnranec, such as re
Aonso Of Representatives hns given In The
resolution they have sent to Us, that We VIII
pot thus hastily rendtutt to seats tn tue lcsts-
la;ve u0dles here ths 5sprcssntatiyes Of con.
az ~ tha E a4n. ss non; a nn@ aI,nos.
~ " ~ ,,s II '1,,r ,n;.,atior tSv
IL hat such consttiueneiss arc nat rn,;tiad
10 be reprcseutcd hfre. / ask far thn ve1s
and nays on tic amendment now pcndia.:.
srx.7op noo1,Tr, ~. 1r,,.Drs
: ~ 1saa1.-r-r a. p,as;a1l..s '
~. lsssioeht aaoel