The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1866-06-16
No. 43
ooNaREssToNAL.
Final Report Of tie Reconstruction Conl-
Passage Of Reconstruction ReSo-
buttons by the Senate.

hstions by the Senate.
The final report of the Reconstruction
Committee, setting forth the reasons for the ac-
ton Of the majority, was read in both Houses
on the 8th. The conclusions of the Com
mittee are, briefly, that the people of the
South had proved themselves insurgents and
traitors, and forfeited all their political rights
and privileges, and that the so-called Con-
federate States are not entitled to represen-
tation in Congress and that before allow
ing inadequate security for future peace and
safety It should be required from them, and
this can only be founded on such changes
of the organic laws as shall determine the
civil rights and privileges of the citizens in
all parts of the Republic; and that repre-
sentation should be on an equality basis
that a stigma should be fixed on treason, and
protection given to loyal people against
further claims for expenses incurred by the
rebellion, and for slaves emancipated by the
war, together with an express grant of the
power IN Congress to enforce these provis-
ions; and to this end the Committee advo-
cate the joint resolution amendatory TO the
Constitution, and of the two separate bills,
designed to carry the same into effect The
Committee claim IN conclusion that these
bills are the result of Cancellation and con-
cession, and the report is signed by the Re-
publican members. The dissenters are Sena-
tor johnson and Representatives Grider and
Rodgers.
The Committee say that the Governors
appointed by the President could not exer-
else any but military power and authority,
and they had no power to organize civil gov
ernments Neither had the President any
other than military power. He might, per
haps, have permitted the people to initiate
local governments, and execute such local
laws as they might choose to enact, if salts
fed they could be, with safety to themselves.
He might then withdraw the military force
altogether, and leave the people to govern
themselves without his interference. The
gigantic civil war was necessarily subject to
rules which, by the laws of nations control
in a contest of that character, and to illegiti-
mate consequences following it; one of these
viz within the limits prescribed by human
ity, the conquered rebels were at the mercy
of their cOnquerors.
The Committee continues to say From
the whole mass Of testimony submitted by
the President, it appears ia no instance in
the Southern States, was any regard paid to
any other consideration than that of obtain
ing immediate admission to Congress under
a barren form of an election, in which no
precautions were taken to secure the Fegu-
larity of the proceedings or the assent of the
adopted, except, perhaps, that Of Tennessee,
and such elections as were held without au-
thOrity In law The Committee are accord
ingIg forced to conclude that the Southern
States have not placed themselves in a con
dition to claim representation IN Congress,
unless all the rules which have, since the
foundation of the Government been deemed
essential in such cases, shall be disregarded.
The Committee review at length the con-
ditiOn of the Southern people, saying that
the latter claim as a right, the privilege of
participation ina government they sought to
overthrow, while their press abOunds 10 abuse
Of the loyal States and loyal men, and efforts
are being made to perpetuate deadly hate
and discord between the two sections and
excite hostilities against the Federal Gov
ernment Indeed all feelings Of concilia-
ton on the part of the North has been treated
with contempt The bitterness and defiance
against US has been unparalleled in the his
tory of the world, considering the circum-
stances. In return for lenience, we receive
only insulting denial Of our authority. In
retnrn for our kind desire for the resump-
ton Of fraternal relations, we receive only
insulting assumptions of rights and priyi
leges long since fcregone. The crimes we
have punished are paraded as virtuous, and
the principles of Republican Government
which we have indicated at a cost so terri
BILE, are denounced as unjust and oppres
sive
The Committee recapituIate the events be-
fore and during the war including the with
drawal of the Senators, Representatives, etc
and declare that the great mass OF the people
became insurgents and traitors, and all of
them assumed and occupied the political,
legal and practical relations Of enemies Of
the United States This state of affairs did
Mt oooea t,ptiI fbnfr armies fell and the
cause was lost These people were then re
duced to the condition Of enemies conquered
In war, and entitled only by public law, to
such rights, privileges and conditions as
might be voted safe by the cOnquerors. uav-
inc thus acted, they have no right to COM
plain at their temporary exclusion from Con
gress but on the contrary, having renoun-
ced voluntarily their rights to representa-
ton, and disqualified themselves by crime
for participation in the Government the
burden now rests upon them, and before
claiming to be reinstated in their former po-
sition, to show that they ought to resume the
Federal relations, and In order to do this,
they must prove that they have established,
with the consent Of the people, q republican
form Of government, in harmony with the
constitutional laws of the United States, and
that all hostile purposes have ceased, and
they have adequate guarantees against fu-
ture treason and rebellion, which will be
satisfactory TO the Government, against
which they have Tebelled, and by whose
armies they were subdued; and they can
only be restored to civil and political rights
by the permission and authority Of That
Constitutional power, against which they
rebelled
The Committee say, further, It has been
shown by evidence, that no proof has been
given to Congress Of n constituency IN any
of the so-called Confederate States, except
IN Tennessee, qualified to elect Representa-
tives to Congress; and no State constitution
has the sanction Of the people. The con
clusion Of the committee is that the power
Of the coRquerors Is not vested in the Presi-
dent that he can fix the terms Of settlement
and confer Congressional representation on
conquered rebels and traitors. The ques-
ton before Congress, then, is, shall rebels
and traitors come into Congress and make
their own terms2 The instinct Of seli-pre-
/ servation argues against It.
In the Senate the reconstruction resolu-
tions passed to-day by vote Of yeas, -,
navs. / The latter were COwan, DAVIS,