Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1866-06-30
Z O Il Z T I O a. l.
REPORT
Cf Tic CongrcSsionoi i'cconStru4;on Com
mtNer Nf Frftccn.

mtVee u f;ftccn
WAsHiNHToN, juno S.-1hc detailed re-
port of the Committee on Reconstruction was
to dry made in each House of Congress. They
set forth the roasons for the conclusions to
which they came il reporting ;n amendment
To the, Constitution of the Uuitel States, and
The two Bills with which the public arc already
tauiiar. Speaking Of the condition of the
Confederate. States at tho close of TIC rebellion,
the Committee say these States were IN utter
exhaustion and without governments. The
President had no power except to execute the
laws Of the land as Chief Magistrate. The
laws give him no authority over the subject
Of reorganization. BY the Constitution he
was Commandcr-in-C Chief of the army aud ma
W. 1, was his duty, under the laws, of ma
tl"ns and the army rayul.tiuns, to restore or
der, to preserve property and to protect the
people against violence from any quarter until
provision be made for their Government. lie
might, as President, assemble Congress oul
submit the whole matter to the law making
power or he might continue military supcrvis-
ion and control until Congress should .assom-
bic on it's regularly appointed day.
.A> " t,ic uoScrnDs appointed oy The Pres.
dcnt, it could not be contendcd that they
possessed or could exercise any but military
authority. They had no power to organize
civil governments, nor exercise any authority
except that Which inhcrcd in thoir persons
under their commissions; neither had the
President, rs Commandcr-in- Chief, any other
than military power But he Was in cxclu
sive. possession of the military authority 1t
was for him to decide how far he would cxcr-
else it-how far hc would relax i--whcn and
OH what terms he would Withdraw it,. lie
might, perhaps, permit the people to assemble
and to initiate local governments and to exc
cute such local laws as they might choosc to
form, not inconsistent with por.in opposition
TO the laws OF the United States, and, satisfied
they might safely be left to themselves, he
might Withdraw the military force altogether
and leave the people of any or all Of these
States to govern thcmsI l;cs without his inter
ference =
The Committee, after speaking Of The origin
and leading incidents of the war, say-it was
wnscd as civil war Of gieantia magnitude
1t WIS necessarily subject 10 all ihc rules
which, by tic laws Of nations, control a con-
test of that character. and to all the Legitimate
consequences following it, One Of the con.
sequences was this within the limits pre-
scribcd by humanity the conquered rebels
were at the mercy Of their connucrors. The
Committee did mt deem it necessary or proper
70 discuss the question whether the late Con
fedcrate States arc still States of this Union
or can ever be otherwise Grant this profit
less abstraction about which 30 many words
have becn wasted, it by no means follows that
the people Of these States may not place them
selves in condition to abroyate the powers
and privileges incident to State of the Union
aud deprive themselves of all prctcncc to right
to exercise their power and enjoy their priv-
leges. The Committee maintain that no .por-
ton of the people of the country, whether in
State or Territory, havo' the right, while re-.
manning on its soil, to withdraw from or reject
the authority of the United States. They
say it is, quite evident from all the facts, and,
indeed, from the whole mass of testimony sub
mittod by tho President, that in no instance
was any regard paid to anS other consideration
than obtaining immediate admission to Con-
grcss .updcr the barren form Of an election in
which no precautions were taken to secure
regularity of proceedings or the assent of the
| people. No. Constitutions has been legally
adopted, except, perhaps, in tho State of Ten
ncssce, and such elections MS were held were
without authority Of law. The Committee are
accordingly forced to the conclusion that the
States retcrrcd.to have not placed themselves
IN, a. condition to ckim representation in Con-
ercss unless all the rules which have, since
tho foundation Of the Government, been
deemed essential IN such gases, shall be disre-
gardcd. -'
Tho Committee then review at length the
condition and feeling of tho Southern people,
saying, among. ether thugs, that the latter
claim as Alright tRc privilege of participation
at once il tho Government which, for fouy