Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1866-06-27
NUMBER 26.
EXTENT oF THE FIELD or INQUIRY


Before proceeding to set forth in detail
/ this reason for the conclusion n wLicb
after great deliberation, your Committees
I haTc arrived, they beg leave to advert
/ briefly to the course of proceedings tbcv
found 1t necessary II adopt and 10 exnIain
I tie reasons therefor.
The resolutions under which YOUR Com
mittee was appointed directed them to in
quIre into the condition of the Confeder~
at5 states ana report whether they were
entitled TO representation IN Cougrcss.-
tt Is obvious that such nu investigation
cover 50 large IN extent of territory, in-
yolving 50 many important considerations
must necessarily require no triliing labor
and consun-e very considerable amount
OF time. 1t must embrace the condition
in which those States were left at the close
OF the war, the measures which had been
taken toward the reorganization of civil
government, and the disposition Of the
people toward the United States; in n
word, their fitness to take an active pars
IN the administration of national affairs
THE soUTI At Tre oLc-r cr TIE 7~ap.
As 10 ihe.r condition at the close of the
rebellion, tnC evidence Is open n all, and
admits of no dispute. They were in a
state of utter exhaustion Having pros
traC.et their struspla AGAINST Federal
authority until all hone Of successful re
sistauce had ceased and laid down their
arms only because there was no longer
any power to use them the lion was crush~
cd, deprived of all civil people Of these
States were left bankrupt in thcir public
| finance, and shorn of the private wealth
winch had before given them power and
influence, They were also necessarily in
state OF complete anarchy, without gov
ernmcnts, and without the power to frame
governments, except by the permission of
those who had been successful In war
The President Of the United States, in the
pFociamatI0ns under which he appointed
provisional governors and in his various
communications 10 them, has. IN exact
terms, recognized the fact that the people
Of those states were, when the rebel rora
crnment, and must proceed to organize
anew II his conversation with Mr..
S5earns. OF Massachusetts, certified Ply
himself President Johnson said
The State Institutions ere prostrated.
laid out on the ground. and they must be
taken mp and adapted to tie progress Of
events
Finding the Southern STATES ia tII.s con-
dition, and Congress having failed 10 pro,
vide for the contingency, his dutv was
obvious. As President Of the United States
bo had 10 power except to execute the
laws of the land as Chief Magistrate.-
These laws gave him no authority over
the subject Of reorganization but by tho
Constitution, he was Commander>in~C Chief
of the army and navy Of the United States.
These Confederate States embraced n nor
sion Of the people Of the Union who had
been in a state Of revolt, but had been re-
deced 20 obedience by force. of arms
They were IN an abnormal condition with
ont civil government, without commercial
cOnnectl"n, without national 5- interim.
uonai relations, and subject only to mar
tial law. By Withdrawing their reg-c-ent-
alton in Congress, ty renouncinr the priy>
llcge Of representation, by organizing a
separate government, and by lCvying war
against the United States, they DESTROYED
their state constitutions in respect to tho
vital principles which connected the re-
speclige states with the Union, and sev-
cred their Federal relations and nothing
Of those constitutions was left Of which
the Erited states were bound to take no.
tlce. For four years they had 2 de facto
"oTarnment, but It was usurpoG and illc-
gal They chose the triJunel Of arms To.
decide whether or not it should be LEGAL
ized, and they were defeated At tho
close of thc rebellion, therefore, the uco-
pie Of the rebcIlious states were found "a
the President expressed it, deprived of
oil civil government.
ACTION AHD PBEEoGATIyEs or THE PREsI-
DENT.
Under this state Of affairs It was plainly
the duty of the President 10 enforce exist
Ing national laws, aEd establish as far "a
he could such n system of Government a.
might be provided for by existing national
statutes.
As commanIer-in-chi Of Il victorious
80. - p
nations ard tho army regulations, to re-
store order, so preserve property, and to
protacl the pcOuic against violence from
any quarter, until provision should be
made - lav for their government lie
might, as President, assemble Congress.
and submit the whole matter to the law
making power; or he might continue mil
itary supervision and control until Com
Crcss should assemble on its regular APP
pointed day. Selecting the latter alforn-
atiye, he proceeded, by virtue ST his power
as commander in chief, to appoint Provis
i3ral Governors over the rcy0lted States.
These were regularly commissioned, and
their compensation was paid as the Sccre-
tary Of War states, from the appFoDria-
ton for army contingencies, bccause the
duties performed by the parties were re-
carded as Of q temporary character, aux-r
iiiary to the withdrawal Of military force
the DISARMAMENT Of armies, and reduction
Of military expenditure, by provisional or
CARNATIONS for the protection Of civil
rights. thE Treservation Of peace, ard to-
take the place Of armed force IN the re-
spective States IL cannot, we thinic be
contcnded tliEt these Governors possessed
or would exercise any bat military auth
o.itY. They had no power to organize
civil governments, nor 10 exercise any
authority except that which inhered in
their own persons under their c0mmis-
si0us Neither had ne President, as
commander n chief anr other than milf,
tarv power. But he was .nezelusiva Of the
ralli.ary authority. Il vas for him to de-
eide how far he would = ercise It, how faE
he would relax IT, and ca what terms be
would Withdraw t. lie miei4s properly
permit the people 20 assemble and = IN
lt.ate local governments aud execute such
local laws IS they might choose 70 irAne'
not Inconsistent with nor IN opposition 10
the laws Of the United states Ah1, d
satisfied flat r'ley might satesy re ieIt T.
-hemselga e might g s-i.iEt@ .'ie ihiii't-
- f,-r-- s.-a-efaer. and leave Tic negDis
~ anv 81 ag 81 these States to Govern
. .fsr,-egsrs without his interference Ia
+ the IN za.ss Of the Secretary s. state, in
+ his tels--aus - the Provisional t-rar11r