The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-06-11
Report of the Reconstruction Co mmittee

Report of the Reconstruction Co mmittee.
From The Tribune.
The final report of the Reconstruction Com
mittee, which was submitted TO the Senate by
Mr.. Fessenden, will command the undivided at
tention of the country. The great question of
the present year is reconstruction. To secure
reconstruction on the basis of Justice and free
dom is the task which the party that conquered
in the campaigns of 1860 and 1864 has now to
perform. The report of the Reconstruction
Committee is the complete, and, we may say,
the official declaration of the principles which
the Republican party is bound to carry
through, and in the advocacy OF which, we feel
confident, the whole party will soon be unit.
The report begins with adverting briefly to
the course the Committee found 1t necessary to
adopt. They had been directed by resolution
of Congress to inquire into the condition OF the
Confederate States, and report whether they
were entitled to representation in Congress.
The former of these points admitted of no DIS
pute The South was in state OF exhaustion.
Congress having failed to provide for the con-
tingencY, the duty OF the President vas obvious.
He had no power except to execute The laws OF
the land and 10 establish, as far as he could,
system OF government, All his acts were those
OF military commander, but no authority was
given him by the law over the subject of recon
struction.
On the meeting of Congress in December, the
President officially announced the organization
OF local Governments, and urged the readmls-
sion of the late Rebel States. With regard to
this recommendation, Congress must either have
acted blindly upon the opinion of the President,
or proceed to collect for itself the necessary in
formation. The latter course was chosen. Its
first duty was to call upon the President for the
Information in his possession as to what had
been done. The information, which was not
communicated until six weeks after the Com
mttee bad been in actual session, appeared to
the Republican members OF the Committee in
complete and unsatisfactory. Under these circum-
stances, it appeared that but one course re-
NAMED, viz, to investigate thoroughly and care
fully the state OF feeling among the people OF
the Southern States, and hence to infer whether
it was safe to readmit them to Congress. To OBJ
tain this information the Committee had re-
course 10 the examination OF witnesses whose
position had given them the best means of
forming an accurate judgment. The results
OF this examination have been heretofore pub
hshed.
The report of the Committee next proceeds to
examine the claims OF the South for readmsson
to Congress. All discussion of the question
whether the recovered States are out of or with.
in the Union, is waived and the report assumes
as beyond dispute that the people of the Rebel
States had in fact withdrawn from the Union
and ma de themselves subjects of another gov
ernment. The Government Of the United States
had undoubtedly right to exact indemnity for
the injuries done, and security against their re-
currence in the future; otherwise the Govern
ment would be powerless for its own protection.
The Government had equally the duty to pro-
teot those in the South who had remained true
and loyal. The Committee was unable to find,
In the information obtained, any satisfactory
proof that il was safe to readmit any OF the
seeded States to their former position in Con-
gress, except, perhaps, the State OF Tennessee.
With the evidence before them, it is the
opinion of the Committee that the Rebel States
were, at the close OF the war, disorganiZed com.
munities; that Congress canlot be expected to
recognize as valid the election of men from such
communities; and that before their admission to
n participation in the Government Congress
must provide such constitutional or other guar
antees as will tend to secure the civil rights of
all citizens OF the Republic just equality of
representation, protection against claims founded
in rebellion and crime, and, at least, q tempo
rary restriction OF the right OF suffrage to men OF
undoubted loyalty.
The Committee, therefore, reaches the con-
clusion that the so-called Confederate States are
not at present entitled to representation in the
Congress of the United States; that before
allowing such representation. adequate security
for future peace and safety should be required !;
that this can only be found in such changes OF
the organic law as shall determine the civil
rights and privileges of all citizens in all parts
OF the republic, shall place represent alton on
an equitable basis, shall fix a stigma upon
treason, and protect the loyal people against
future claims tor the expenses incurred in sup
poIt of rebellion, and for manumltted slaves,
together with an express grant in CONGRESS to
enforce these provisions. To this end they offer
Joint resolution for amending the Constitution,
and two several bills designed to carry the same
into effeot. The specific recommendations sub
mitted to Congress were the result of mutual con-
Cesson, after long and careful comparison of
conflicting opinions, and the final report has
received the signature of every Republican
member of the Committee except Messrs. Wash
burne and Blow, who we're absent.
The report is very a0le and will occupy q
conspicuous place in the history of the Repub
lican party. Whatever exceptions may be taken
to one or another part, the whole will commend
itself 10 the friends OF the Union q conclusive
and admirable summary of the measures which
the majority of the party regard as indspen
sable for securing the lasting restoration OF the
Union. and the triumph OF the principles OF
Justice and Freedom.