The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1866-06-13

their lncumbents with the sanction and by
the direction of the Legislatures or conven-
lions OF their respective States. This was
done as hostile act against the Constitution
and Government Cf the United States, with
declared attempt to overthrow the same
by forming a Southern confederation. This
act Of declared hostility was speedily fol-
lowed by an organization Of the same States
into confederacy, which levied and waged
war by sea and land against the United
States. This war continued more than four
years, within which period the rebel armies
besieged the national capital, invaded the
loyal states, burned their towns and cities,
robbed their citizens, destroyed more than
250, 900 loyal soldiers, and imposed an in
creased national burden Of not less than
s3, 800 900 goo, of which seven or eight hun
dred millions have already been met and
paid. From the time these confederated
States thus withdrew from their representa-
ton in Congress and levied war against the
United States, the great mass of their peo-
pie became and were insurgents, rebels,
traitors, and all of them assumed and occu-
ed the political, legal, ard practical reIa-
ton of enemies of the United States. This
position is established by acts of Congress
and judicial decisions, ard is recognized re-
peatedly by the President in public procla-
nations, documents and speeches.
Second. The States thus confederated
prosecuted their var against the United
States to final arbitrament, and did not
cease until all their armies were cap
tured, their military power destroyed, their
civil officers-State and Confederate-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
people reduced to the condition of enemies
conquered in war, entitled only by public
law to such rights, privileges, and cOndi-
ton as might be youchsafed by the con-
queror. This position is also established by
judicial decisions, and is recognized by the
President in public proelamations, docu-
ments, and speeches.
Third. Having voluntarily deprived
themselves of representation in Congress,
for the criminal purpose of destroying the
Federal Union, and having reduced them
selves, by the act of leyying war, to the
condition of public enemies, they have no
right to complain of temporary exclusion
from Congress, but, on the contrary, having
voluntarily renowned their right to repre-
sentation, and disqualified themselves by
crime from participating in the Govern
ment, the burden now rests upon them, be-
mer condition, to show that they are quail
fed to resume Federal relations. In order
to do this they must prove that they have
established with the consent of the people,
forms of government in harmo-
ny with the Constitution and laws of the
United States, thatall hostile purposes have
ceased, and should give adequate guaran-
tees against future treason and! rebellion
guarantees which will prove satisfactory
to the Government against which they
rebelled, and by whose arms they were sub
dued.
Fourth. Having, by this reasonable with
drawal from Congress and by fragrant re-
bellion and war, forfeited all civil and po-
litical rights and privileges under the Fed
eral Constitution, they can only be restored
thereto by the permission and authority of
that constitutional power against which
they rebelled, and by which they were sub
dued.
Fifth. The rebellious enemies were con-
quered by the people Of The United States,
acting through all the coordinate branches
Of the Government, and not by the Execu-
tive Department alone. The powers of
conqueror are rot so vested in the President
that he can fix and regulate the terms of
settlement, and confer Congressional repre-
sentation upon conqured rebels and traitors.
Nor can he in any way qualify enemies of
the government to exercise its law-making
power. The authority to restore rebels to
political power in the Federal government
can be exercised only with the concurrence
of all the departments in which political
power is vested. And hence the several
proclamatiOns of the President to the peO-
pie Of the Confederate States cannot be con-
sidered as extending beyond the purposes
declared, and can only be regarded as pro-
visional permission by the Commander in
Chief of the army TO do certain acts, the
validity whereof is TO be determined by the
Constitutional government, and not solely
by the Executive power.
Sixth. The question before Congress is,
then, whether conquered enemies have the
right and shall be permitted, at their own
pleasure and on their own terms, to par
ticipate in making laws for their conquer
ors whether conquered rebels may change
their theatre of operations from the battle
field, where they were defeated and over
thrown, to the halls of Congress, and,
through their representatives, seize upon
the government which they fought to de-
stroy whether the national treasury, the
army of the nation, its navy, its forts and
arsenals, its whole civil administration, its
credit, its pensioners-the widows and or
phans Of those who persisted in the war
the public honor, peace and safety shall
all be turned over to the keeping Of
its recent enemies, without delay and with
out imposing such conditions as, in the
opinion of Congress, the security of the
country aud its institutions may demand.
Seventh. The history of mankind exhib-
its no example of such madness and folly,
The instinct of self-preservation protests
against it. The surrender by Grant to Lee,
and by Sherman to Johnston, would have
been disasters of less magnitude, for new
armies could have been raised, new battles
fought and the Government saved. The
anti-coercive policy which, under pretext
of voiding bloodshed, allowed the rebellion
to take form and gather force, would be
surpassed in infamy by the matchless wick
edness that would now surrender the halls
of Congress to those so recently in rebellion,
until proper precautions shall have been
taken to secure the national faith and the
national safety.
Eighth. 1t has been shown in this report
and in the evidence submitted no proof has
been afforded to Congress of a constituency
in any of the so called Confederate States,
unless we except the State of Tennessee,
qualified to elect Senators and Representa-
tives in Congress. No State constitution or
the sanction of the people.
All the so-called legislation of State con-
ventions and Legislatures has been under
military dietation. If the President may,
at his will, and under his own authority,
whether as Military Commander or Chief
Executive, quslify persons to appoint Sena-
tors and elect Representatives, and empow-
er Others to appoint and elect them, he
thereby practically controls the organiza-
ton Of the Legislative department. The
form Of government is thereby
DESTROYED, and its powers absorbed in the
Executive, And while your committee do
not for moment impute to the President
any such design, but cheerfully ooucede to
him the most patriotic motives, they can
not but look with alarm upon precedent
so fraught with danger TO the Republic.
Ninth. Tho necessity of providing sde-
ouate safeguards for the future before re-
storing the insurrectionary States to q par
tieipation in the direction ofpublic affairs IS
spparent from the bitter hostility to the
government and people Of the United States
vet existing throughout the conquered ter
ritorv. as proved incontestibly by the testi-
mony Of many witnesses, and by indisputs
be fscts.
Tenth. The conclusion Of your commit
Zee. therefore, is that the so-called Confed-
crate States are not at present entitled to
in the Congress Of the United
States; that before allowing such represen-
alton adequate security for future peace and
,afetv should be required; that this can only
% found in such changes Of the organic law
q shah determine eciYil rights and priv
leees of all citizens in all parts Of the Re
,u6lic. shall place representation on an
suitable basis, shall fix q stigma upon |
reason, and protect the loyal people against |
uture claims for the expenses incurred IN |
upport Of rebellion and for manumitted |
laVes, together with an express grant Of /
,ower in Congress to enforce those proYi-