New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-06-09
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of success. repudiate the National debt.
While there is scarcely any hope desire among lead
ing TO the attempt at Secession at any future
time, there is STILL according to large number or WIT,
nesses including A. H. Stephens who may be regarded as
ion which defends the legal right of Secession and upbods
the doctrine that the first allegiance of the people is due
to the States and not to the United States THIS beef
evidently prevails among leading and prominent men az
well among the masses, anywhere except in some ot
the northern counties of Alabama and the eastern counties
of Tennessee. 4
The evidence Of an intense hostility 10 the Federal Un-'
ion and equally intense love of the late Confedery,
nurured by the war, is decisive While It appears mat
nearly all are willing to submit at least for the time beng.
motive is desire obtain the advantages which will bo
derived from representation IN Congress oneeIs OF
the Union army duty end Northern men who 20 hero
to engage in business generally deested and pro-
scribed Men who adhered TO the Union are bitterly
hated and relentlessy prosecuted. In some ocaiiea
prosecutions been instituted in State Courts against
Union officers for acts done in the line OF ohcai duty,
and similar prosecutions are threatened elsewhere soon
as the United States troops removed All such demop~
STATIONS show state Of feeling against which 1t is unms-
takably necessary to guard.
The testimony is conclusive that after the collapse or
the Confederacy the feeling Of people of the rebeous
States that Of abec; submission. Having appealed To
the tribunal Of arms they had no hope except tna W ne
magnanmity Of their cODquerors their lives and possibly
their property might be preserved Unfortunately tho
general Issue of pardoDs 10 persons who had been pomi
nent in the Rebellion and the feeling Of kindness ana
Cancellation manifested by the Executive and very gcner
ally indicated through the Northern press had the eecv
to render whole communities orgetfu Of the crime they
|
and regardless Of their duties as citizens Iheeoncstoy
measures of the Government do not seem to have been
met half way. The bitterness and defiance exhibited
toward the United States under such circumstances -
without parallel in the history OF the world In return
for leniency receive only an insulting denial OF our
authority In return for kind desire for the resumT-
of faternal relations receive only an nsolent az
sumption Of rights and privileges long since forfeited
The crime have punished is paraded as virtue and
the principles Of Republican Government which we have
yindicated at terrible cost are denounced as UNJUST
and oppressive ,-, -
has been declared By the President he has not to this
av deemed II safe to restore the writ of habea corpus To
relieve the insurrectonay States OF martial law nor 10
withdraw the troops from many localities, and that the
Command nc General deems increase OF the army IN
dispensBbe to the preservation Of order and the protection
of loyal and wel-sposed people In the SOUTH me PROOF
of conviction Of feeling hostile 10 the Union aud danger
ons TO the Government throughout the insureetoLaIy
States would seem to be overwhelming
With such evidence before them, IL is the opinion Of
l. That the States lately in Rebellion WERE at the close
of the war, dsorganized communities, without civil gov
eminent and without constitutions or other forms by VIZ
tue OF which political relations could legally exist between
| them and the Federal Government
H. That Congress be expected TO recognize as
valid the election OF from disorganized communities,
which, from the very nature of the case, were unable to
present their claim To representation under those estab
shed and recognized rules the observance OF Whch has
! been hitherto required
Ill That Congress would not be justified in admitting
such communities TO participation in the Government Of
the country without providing such constitutional
other guarantees will tend to the civil nights or
all citizens Of the republic jus; equality of representa-
ton protection against claims founded in rebellion AID
crime and at least temporary restriction OF the night or
suffrage to those who have not actively participated IN the
effort TO destroy the Union, and the exclusion from posi-
of public trust of at least portion OF those whose
crimes have proved them enemies Of the Union and un-
worthy Of public confidence.
Your Committee WILL perhaps, hardly be deemed eI-
cusable for extending this report further but inasmueh as
immediate aud unconditional representation OF the states
lately IN Rebellion is demanded matter Of night, and
delay and hesitation is denounced as grossly oppes
efr.a rrffte ral nntyfsa and AZ
be amss again to call attention TO few undisputed
and notorious facts and the principles of public law ap-
pcabe thereto in order that the propney OF that claim
| may be fully considered and well undo rstood.
The State of Tennessee occupies position distinct from
all the other nsuectonay States and has been the sub
ect of separate report, which your committee have not
thought it expedient disturb Whether Congress shall
tit to make that State the subject Of separate action or
10 include in the same category with all Others so far as
the imposition OF preliminary conditions, 1t II not
within the province of this committee either TO determine
or advise.
To ascertain whether all the so-caed Confederate
States are entitled 10 be represented in either House OF
Congress" the essential inquiry whether there in any
one of them a constituency qualified to be represented in
Congress The question how far persons claiming seats
IN either House possess the credentials necessary enable
Them represent duly qualified constituency is for
the consideration of each House separately after the pre-
liminsry question shall have been finally determined
We propose to restate as briefly as possible the
general facts aud principles applicable to the States re-
ty in rebellion.
from the socaled Confederate States became vacant
the year 1861 during the second session OF the xXXVb
Congress by the voluntary withdrawal Of their neumbents
with the sanction and by the direction Of the legislatures
or coyentons Of their respective States This was done
as hostile act against the Constitution aud Government
of the United States with declared intent TO overthrow
the same by forming Southern Confederation This act
of declared hostility speedily followed by an organiza-
ton of the States into confederacy which lived and
waged by and land against the United States.
This continued more than four years. within which
the Rebel armies besiegcd the National Capital in
vaed the loyal States burned their towns and cities
robbed their citizens destroyed more than 80 900 loyal
soldiers and imposed increased national burden Of not
less than 900 600 of which eight humid
red millions have already been met and paid From tho
time that these Confederate States thus withdrew their
representation in Congress and levied the United
States the great of their people became and were in
surgens rebels traitors and all of them occupied the
political legal and practical relation OF enemies OF the
United States This position is established by acts OF
Congress and Judicial decisions and recognized repeat
edy by the President in public proclamaons, documents,
and speeches.
Second The States thus confederated prosecuted their
against the United States to final arbtrament, and
did until all their armies captured their
military power destroyed their civil officers, state aud
confederate taken prisoners put TO fight every yesge
of State and Confederate Government oberaed their
territory and occupied by the Federal Armies,
and their people reduced to the condition Of enemies
quered in war; entitled only by public law, TO such rights
privileges and conditions Is might be youchsaed BY tho
conquero This position is also established BY judicial
decisions and is recognized sound by the President In
public proclamations documents, and speeches.
Third Having voluntarily deprived themselves Of re-
presentation in Congress- for the criminal purpose Of de-
sroyng the Federal Union and having reduced themselves
by the of evying to the condition Of public
mics they have right to complain Of temporary excu
sion from Congress- but, the contrary, having younta
ry renounced the right to representation, and dsqua
fed themselves by crime from participating in the Gov
eminent the burden rests upon them before claim
ing 10 be renstated In their former condition, 10 show
that thew are qualified TO Federal relations. In
order to do this they must prove that they have estab
..;th tha NJ tha