The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1866-07-03
RECONSTRUCTION.

WASHINGTON, June s.

WASHINGTON, June s.
The detailed report of the Committee
On Reconstruction was made to-day in
each House of Congress They set forth
the reasons for the conclusions to which
they come, reporting an amendment to
the Constitution of the United States, ,aud
the two bills with which the public are
already familiar.
Speaking Of the condition of the Con
fodelate States at the close of the rebel
lion. the committee say:
These States are in utter exhaustion
and without government. The President
had no power except to execute the laws
of the land as Chief Magistrate. The
laws gave him no authority over the sub
ject of reconstruction. BY the Const;tu-
ton he was Commander-in-C Chief of the
army and navy. 1t was his duty. under
the laws Of nations and the army regula-
tious, to restore order, to preserve prop
eaty, aud to protect the people against
violence from any quarter, until provis-
ion shall be made for their government
He might, as President, assemble Con
gress aud submit the whole matter TO the
Iaw-msking power, or he might continue
military supervision and control, until
Congress should assemble or its regularly
appointed day. As to the Governors ap-
pointed by the President, it could not be
coutended that they possessed or could
exercise any but military authority. They
had no power to organize civil govern.
ments, nor to exercise any authority ex-
cept that which inhered in their own per-
sons, under their commissions; neither
had the President, as commander-in-chief,
any other than military power but he was
in exclusive possession of the military
authority.
1t vas for them to decide how far be
could exercise it, how far he could relax
it; when and on what terms he could
withdraw it. He might, perhaps, permit
the people to assemble and initiate local
governments and to execute such local
laws as they might choose to form, not
Inconsistent with DOR In opposition to the
laws of the United States, and if satisfac-
tory, they might safely be left to them
selves. He might withdraw the military
force altogether, and leave the people Of
any, or all of those States, to govern them
selves without his interference.
The committee, after speaking of the
origin and leading incidents of the war,
say it was waged as civil war of gigantic
magnitude. 1t was necessarily subject to
all the rules which By the laws of nations
control contest of that character, and to
all the legitimate consequences following
it. One of the consequences was this ::
Within the limits presented By humanity
the conquered rebels were at the mercy Of
their conquerors. The committee did not
deem 1t necessary or proper to discuss the
question whether the late Confederate
States are still States of this Union or can
ever be otherwise. Grant this proftiess
abstraction about which so many words
have been wasted, it by no means follows
that the people OF those States may not
place themselves in condition to abro-
gate the powers and privileges incident to
a State of the Union, and deprive them.
selves Of all pretense of right to exercise
their power and enjoy their privileges.
The committee maintain no portion of
the people of this country, whether in a
State or Territory, have the right, while
remaining on its soil, to withdraw from or
reject the authority Of the United States.