Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1866-06-20
Final Report of the Recon-
StrucfiOn Committee.

The final report of the Reconstruction
Committee is voluminous. 1t recites the
the proceedings of the committee, dwells
upon the difficulties encountered in the
effort to investigate the condition of the
Southern States, discusses the question
of readmissien, contends that the State
governments in the South have been ir-
regularly organized, hold that the South
ern people are "yet totally averse to the
federation of any class OF people friend
"ly to the Union, be they white or black,
land that this aversion IS not unfrequent-
sly manifested in an insulting and often
"sive manner" and concludes with the
following summary
l. That the States lately in rebellion
were, at the close of the war, disorgan-
lied communities, without civil govern
ment, and without constitutions or other
forms by virtue of which political rela-
tions could legally exist between them
and the federel government.
II. That Congress cannot be expected
to recognize as valid, the election of men
from d~isorganized communities, which,
from the very claim to representation
under those established and recognized
rules the observance of which has been
hitherto required.
III. That Congress would not be justi-
fed in admitting such communities to a
participation in the government of the
country without first providing such con-
stitutional or other guarantees as will tend
to secure the civil rights of all citizens of
the republic, a just equality of represen-
tation, protection against claims founded
in rebellion and crime, and, at least, a
temporary restoration of suffrage to those
who have not actively participated in the
effort to destroy the Union, and the ex-
clusion from positions of public trust of
at least a portion of those whose crimes
have proved them enemies of the Union
and unworthy of public confidence.
The general facts and principles which,
in the Judgment of the committee, are
applicable to all the States recently in
rebellion, are stated as follows:
From the time the Confederate States
Withdrew from their representation in
Congress and levied war against the Uni
ted States, the great mass of their people
became and were insurgents and traitors,
and all of them assumed and 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 is recognized
repeatedly by the President in public
proclamations, documents and speeches,
Secopd-The States thus confederated
prosecuted their war against the United
States to final arbitIament, and did not
cease until all their armies were captur.
ed, their military power destroyed, their
civil officers, State and Confederate, ia.
ken prisoners or put to fight, every yes.
tige of State and Confederate Govern.
mept obliterated, their territory oyerrun
and occupied by the Federal armies, and
their people reduced to the condition Of
enemies conquered in war, entitled only
by public law to such rights. privileges
and conditions as might be Youchsafed
by the conqueror. This position is also
established by judicial decisions, and SO
recognized BY the President in public
proclamations, documents and speeches
Third-Having voluntarily deprived
themselves of representation in Congress
having voluntarily renowned their right
to representation, and disqualified them
selves by crime from participating in the
government, the burden now rests upon
them, before claiming to be reinstated in
their power, conditions to show that they
! are qualified to resume federal relations.