The Southern herald. (Liberty, Miss.) 1866-current, 1866-06-16
r'lnul Report Of thc Recon
ttt'ucfiou Commit tee.

q restoring The Union, wss trad briire both
. HOUSES on the s.h inst After long and
J careful investigation; rigid examination Of
, wiiunsca as 10 thc state Of the lately re.
bcllioua part Of iho Union, and having q
, thorough insight into the feelings aad pop
ular voice Of The Southern people lis
committee has pul forth airport which stands
uncAampled for i's ujurueas, unlaine.s and
bIgotry. ia true tlat we expected little
mercy or Justice from lbr men who composed
9e committee and yet SIC zero hardly
prepared for snch on exLibiiion Of sectional,
pnlial mud untrubful measures as are em-
bodied in this report. IN spirit Of mean
ness which should call the blush Of shame
to the cheek Of auy highmiuded Or honor
able man, they presumcto say that n9eyidence
has been induced before them to show that
the South Is sufficiently rcconcl,d NJ ,ihe
results Of tho last four years to eaitle her
citizens 10 the enjoyment Of their political
rights, nor arc any of the seeded States suii
GENTLY loyal to be permitted to exercise the
peculiar functions granted 10 eneIl 39le by.
the Constitution tho most imftNpt Oh
which is representation ia The National
Capitol Notwithstanding tho fact that Lee,
stephens and a nhnber of our prominent
mon, who are known ms having uumproch
able charaauu for honesty and integrity
nave testified to tbs earnest desire Of the
Southern people to return to THEN former
allegiance to The United Stat Government
aud resume al the relations aud privileges
belonging to sovereign States, hi com
mitcc, influenced by malice and bigotry,
have refused to acknowledge hotru.hfulness
Of this tcstimony--ii at the same tiuo being
corroboroted by their own Withstand
still declare that the spirit Of rebellion burns
with as much frryor in the South today as it
did IN 1862
In considering the question as to whether
tho Southern States have civil governments
whicl, should be recognized, they say that
the Governors appointed by the President
could only exercise military power or
authority, and that they were, therefore,
debarrad the right of organizing civil gov
crumcnis. THE President might perhaps,
permit the people to initiate local govern
mcnts and execute such local laws as obey
might choose to enact, aud as soou as thcy
could be left safely to themselves ho might
withdraw military force altogether and leave
the people to govern themselves without HIS
interference
We find in the New Oheaus Times a
synopsis Of this report giving its most
important features, and which We Icy before
our readers, in order that they may see for
sl.,....,..s.. s=szs------
fanatics can 60; {
The committee reviewed at length the. =
condition OF the Southern people, saving
that the latter claimed as right the privilege
Of participating al once ia the Govprnment !
they sought TO overthrow while tbt press {
ahouuda in abuse of the loyal Statts and (
loyal men, aud efforts are made TO perpotuate !.
deadly hate aud diseord between tho two
sections, and TO excite hostility against the
Government; indeed all feeling Of con-
'iialion on the pant Of the North ha. been a
reated with indifference The bitterness u
and defiance against us has been unparalleled u
u the history Of The world. Cousil,Afng s.
heir duty in return for our lenirHcSa we a
cceiye only insulting Denial OF our authority. q
In return for our kind desire for TOO re- G
sumption Of fratenal relations we receive I
'uly iusolent assumption Of rights and priv b
lcgcs long since lou The crime we b
AVE punished is par3ed as VIRTUES and D
he principles OF tho American Government, u
which we have viudaatcd at cost 10 ter p
iblc, are denounced as unjust aud OPP st
,rssive. e'
The committee then recapitalatet the h
vents before aud during the war, including 81
he Withdrawal of Senators, Representatives, We
to-. and declares that the great m'tss Of ~
he people became msurgent and traitors, M
nd all Of them assumed and occupied the ~
Official legal and practical rrlatioi OF 10
nemies of the United States. This state di
t affairs did not cease when their armies ih
II and their cause was lost The ptoplc rr
ere then reduced TO the condition a. enemies co
onqugyed, and entitled only to receiv, such "a
ghts privileges, conditions, as miglt be ih
by their conquerors Having TO
lus acted they have no right TO eompaa Of Tel
ltir temporary exclusion from Congress;
IT. ON the contrary, having renouleed
llnntaiy their right to representatjon1~Sha ne
ewing disqualified themselves hy crime i0,n ca.
Ia tho 0otcra.n,lf. he ,u.( ma
Nv rests upon them before claming't5 De TOW
iusatrd in their former position. hu
To show thsir rights 10 resume Federal brl
la'ions, they must Prove that they have ev,
iah,ished, with the consent Of tlre people. the
publican FERNS Of Government in harmony We.
ma the constitutional laws Of the Upitsd na,
ates, that an hostile purposes have ceased bv
q they must give adequate guaranhrs ton
aiust future treason and rebellion. which ne,
u be satiactory 90 the government agar 81 ing
itch they rrbellrd and by whose arms tt y mex
re suhdued; and they can only be restaisd ISL