The weekly North-Carolina standard., 1866-06-13

power and jurisdiction. This conclu-
sion derived greater force from the fact,
undisputed, that in all those States, ex-
cept Tennessee, and perhaps Arkansas,
the elections which were held for State
officers and members of Congress had
resulted almost universally in the defeat
of candidates who had been true to the
Union, and in the election of notorious
and unpardoned rebels, men who could
not take the prescribed oath of Office,
and who made no secret of their hos
tillty to the government and the peo-
pie of the United States. Under these
circumstances anything like hasty ac-
tion would have been as dangerous as
it was was obviously unwise.
1t appeared to your committee that
but one course remained, viz I: to inves-
tigate carefully and thoroughly the
state of feeling and opinion existing a.
long the people of these States to as
certain how far their pretended loyalty
could be relied upon, and thence to infer
whetherit would be safe to admit them
at once to full participation in the
Government they had fought for four
years to destroy. 1t was an equally
important inquiry whether their resto-
ration to their former relations with
the United States should only be gran
ted upon certain conditions and guaran-
tees, which would effectually secure the
nation against recurrence of evils so
disastrous as those from which it had
escaped at so enormous sacrifice.
To obtain the necessary information, re-
course could only be had to the examination
of witnesses whose position had given them
the best means of forming an accurate judg-
ment, who could state facts from their own
observation, and whose character and stand
ing afforded the best evidence of their truth
fulness and impartiality. A work like this,
covering so large an extent of territory, and
embracing such complicated and extensive
inquiries, necessarily required much time and
labor. To shorten the time as much as pos
sible, the work was divided and placed in
the hands of four ub-committees, who have
been diligently employed in its accomplish
ment. The result of their labors has been
heretofore submitted, and the country will
judge how far they sustain the Presidents
views, and how far they justify the conclu-
sions to which your committee have finally
arrived
A claim for the immediate admission of
Senators and Representatives from the So
called Confederate States has been urged,
which seems to your committee not to be
founded either in reason OIL in law, and
which cannot be passed without comment
Stated in few words, 1t amounts to this:
that, inasmuch as the lately insurgent States
had no legal right to separate themselves
from the Union, they still retain their posi-
tions as States, and consequently the people
thereof have right to immediate representa-
tion in Congress, without the imposition of
any conditions whatever; and further, that
until such admission, Congress has no right
to tax them for the support of the Govern
ment. 1t has even been contended that, until
such admission, all legislation affecting their
interests is, if not unconstitutional, at least
unjustitiable and oppressive.
1t is believed by your committee that all
these propositions are not only wholly un-
tenable, but, if admitted, would tend to the
destruction of the Government.
1t must not be forgotten that the people
IF these States, without justification or ex-
,use, rose IN insurrection against the United
States. They deliberately abolished their
State governments, so far as the same con-
lected them politically with the Union as
members thereof under the Constitution
They deliberately renounced their allegiance
% the Federal Government, and proceeded
o establish an independent government for
themselves. In the prosecution of this en-
erprise they seized the national forts, arsen-
lis, dock-yards, and other public property
within their borders, drove out from among
hem those who remained true to the Union,
md heaped every imaginable insult and in
ury upon the United States and its citizens
Finally they opened hostilities and levied
var against the Government. They contin-
led this war for four years with the most
and malignant spirit killing in
'attle and otherwise large numbers of loyal
people, destroying the property of loyal citi-
ens on the sea and on the land, and entail
ng on the government an enormous debt in
'urred to sustain its rightful authority
Whether legally and constitutionally or not
hey did in fact withdraw from the Union,
md made themselves subjects of another
government of their own creation; and they
'nly yielded when, after long, bloody, and
Wasting war, they were compelled by utter
to lay down their arms; and this
hey did, not willingly, but declar ng that
hey yielded because they could no longer
esist, affording no evidence whatever of re-
'entance for their crime, and expressing no
egret except that they had no longer the
power to continue the desperate struggle.
1t cannot, we think, be denied by any one
having tolerable acquaintance with public
aw, that the war thus waged was d civil war
# the greatest magnitude The people wa
ing it were necessarily subject to all the
ules which by the law of nations control q
contest of that character, and to all the legi-
innate consequences following it. One of
hose consequences was that, within the lin
is prescribed by humanity, the conquered
ebels were at the mercy of the conquerors.
That Government thus outraged had a
most perfect right to exact indemnity for
he injuries done and security against the
occurrence of such outrages in the future,
would seem too clear.for dispute. What the
lature of that security should be, what proof
hould be required of a return to allegiance,
vhat time should elapse before people thus
lemoralized should be restored in full to the
njoyment of political rights and privileges,
re questions for the law-making power to
ecide, and that decision must depend on
rave considerations Of the public safety and
he general welfare,
1t is, moreover, contended, and with ap
aren't gravity, that from the peculiar nature
nd character of our. Government no such
ight on the part of the conqueror can exist;
hat from the moment when rebellion laws
own its arms, and actual hostilities cease.
II political rights of rebellious communities
re at once restored; that because the peo-
lie Of a State of the Union were once an Or