The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1866-06-14

pap5IS. IOm bH6 HUSClAA1y w tdO
Freedmen's Bureau; from the unwill-
ingness to pay National taxes; from
the prevalence and virulence Of the
secession doctrines, and from the hos
tility to the Union and love for the
Confederacy, everywhere manifested.
With all the evidence before it,
the Committee expresses the opinion
I. That the States lately in rebellion
were, at the close of the war, disorganized
communities, without civil government,
and without constitutions or other forms
by virtue of which political relations
could exist between them and the Federal
Government
II. That Congress is not to be expected to
recognize as valid the election of men from
disOrganized communities, which, from
the very nature of the case, were unable to
present their claim to representation, I'M
der those established and recognized rules,
the observance ofwhich has been hitherto
required.
III. That Congress would not be Justified
in admitting such communities to parti-
cipation in the government of the country
without first providing such constitutional
and other guarantees as will tend to secure
the civil rights of all citizens of the Re-
public. A just equality of representation
is protection against claim founded in
rebellion and crime; a temporary restric-
ton of the right of suffrage to those who
have not actively participated in the effort
to destroy the Union, and the exclusion
from positions of public trust of at least
portion of those whose crimes have proved
them enemies of the Union, and unworthy
of public confidence.
Without attempting any further
synopsis of the committees report.
we are disposed to conclude by giving
our readers the summing up Of. its
conclusions in its own language: ia,
We now propose to restate, as briefly as
possible, the general facts and principles
applicable to the States recently in re-
bellion. + So
First-The seats of the Senators and Rep
reSentativeS from the so-called Confederate
States became vacant in the year 1861 dur
Ing the second session ofthe Thirty-fourth
Congress, by the voluntary withdrawal of
their incunIbents, with the sanction and
by the direction OF the Legislatures or Com
ventions of their respective States This
was done as hostile action against the
Constitution and Government of the
overthrow the same by forming Southern
Confederation. This act of declared hos
tility was speedily followed by an organic
alton Of hesame states into Confederacy
which lived and waged war, by sea and
land, against the United States. This war
continued for more than four years, within
which time the rebel armies besieged the |
National Capital, invaded the loyal States !
burned their towns and cities robbed their |
destroyed more than two hundred |
and fifty thousand loyal soldiers, and inn |
a /
less than $500, 100000, of which seven or /
eight hundred millions have already been ;
met and paid. From the time that these |
confederate States thus withdrew their I
representation in Congress, and levied war I
on the United States, the great mass OF /
their people became and were insurgents. I
rebels, traitors; and all of them occupied /
ton IS % Sna rp TaetiShs rsIat9I
judicial decisions, and is recognized re-
peatedly by the President in public pro- /
documents and speeches.
SecOnd-The States thus confederated
prosecuted their war against the United
States to final arbitrament, and did not /
cease until all their armies were captured,
their military power destroyed, their civil
State and Confederate, were taken
prisoners, or put to flight, every vestige, of
state and Confederate Government oblit-
Grated, their territory overrun and occu-
pied by the Federal armies, and their peO-
pie reduced to the condition of enemies
in war, entitled only, by law, to
such rights, privileges and conditions as
This position is also established by judicial
and is recognized as Sound by
The President in public prOclamations, doc
lmentS and speeches.
Third-Having voluntarily deprived
themselves of representation in Congress
or the criminal porpose of destroying the
Federal Union, and having reduced them
selves by the act of levying war to the con-
tition of public enemies, they have no
tight TO complain of temporary exclusion
rom Congress- but, on the contrary hav-
ng reno unced the right to representation |
and disqualified themselves by crime
rom participating in the Government. the
1urthen now rests ON them, before claim
ng to he reinstated in their former con-
iition, 70 show that they are qualified to
'eSume federal relations. In order to do
his, they must prove that they have es-
abllShed, with the consent of the people,
'epubllcan forms OF government in har-
nony with the Constitution and laws
# the United States; that all hostile pur-
)OSeS have ceased, and should give ade-
Iuate guaran ties against future treason
md rebellion-guaranties which shall
prove satisfactory to the Government
against which they rebelled, and by whose
lrms they were subdued. "a
FOurth-Having by this reasonable
Congress, and by fragrant
ebellion and crime, forfeited all civil and
political rights and privileges under the
federal Constitution, they can only be re-
tored thereto by the permission and au-
hOrity of that constitutional power
against which they febelled and by which
hey We're Subdued. NJ
f1Itn--lnG T6De1llOhs enemies were con-
Iuered by the people of the United States.
lcting through allthe coordinate branches
If the Government, and not by the EXecu-
i've Department alone. The powers of the +
,onqueror are not so vested in the +
President that he can fix and regulated
he terms of settlement, and confer con-
sressional representation on conquered re-
)elS and traitors. Nor can he in any way
qualify the enemies of the Government to
exercise its law making powers. The au-
hority to restore rebels to political power I.
n the General Government could be exer-
Used only with the concurrence of all the
departments in which political power is
rested, and hence the several proclama-
ions Of the President to the people of the
States can not be considered
declared, and can only be regarded as pro-
Tisional permiSsions by the Commander
n-Chief of the Army to do certain acts,
he effect and validity whereof is to be de-
ermined by the constitutional Govern
nent, and not solely by the Executive