Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1866-06-14
THE "SITUATION."


The Senate has passed the Constitutional
amendment reported from the committee of
fifteen, striking out the DISTINGUISHING
clause and inserting the amended one pub
lished by us last week. The vote stood
upon its final passage 33 to IL. This gave
the two thirds vote necessary to pass an
amendment to the Constitution. The prop
osition, as amended, now goes back to the
House, and will there receive its final Con-
gressional action. The Legislatures of
twenty FIVE States will then be required to
ratify it, before it becomes part of the
tattered instrument it is designed to be
appended to.
Two bills have also been reported by the
committee, which, if passed, are to form a
species of enabling legislation for the re-
admission of the seeded States to their
privileges under the Constitution. They
provide that whenever any State shall, by
its legislature, adopt the Constitutional a.
mendment, its representation may be ad-
mitted to seats in Congress, and such rights
and privileges restored to it, as are not yet
absorbed by the general Government. We
do not believe that any Southern State will
accept representation under conditions that
require it to dishouor those of its citizens,
whose counsels have been, and are yet, nec-
essary to its welfare.
This Committee has probably ended its
labors by presenting a report accompanying
its other work, of which the following is a
relegraphic synopsis:
The conclusions of the Committee are,
briefly, that the people of the South have
proved themselves insurgents and traitors,
aud forfeited all political rights and privil-
eges that the so-called Confederate States
are not entitled to representation in Con-
gress; that before allowing it, adequate
security for future peace and safety should
be required from them, and this can only
be found in such changes of the organic
law as shall determine the civil rights and
privileges of the citizens in all parts of the
republic that representation should be on
an equitable basis; a stigma should be fixed
on treason and protection should be insured
to all loyal people against future claims for
expenses incurred in the rebellion and for
slaves emancipated by the war, together
with an express grant of power in Congress
to enforce these provisions. To this end,
the Committee advocate the joint resolution
amendatory of the Constitution; and have
presented two separate bills, designed to
carry the same into effect. The Committee
claim, in conclusion, that these bills are
the result of Cancellation and concession.
The report is signed by ten Republican
members. The dissenters are Senator
JOHNSON and Representatives GRIDER and
RODGERS.
A Mr.. WILLIAMS, representative from
Pennsylvania, has rendered himself distin-
guished in doubtful way, by running
through the House under the "gag law" a
resolution of inquiry concerning the report
ed ovation in the South to the Confederate
dead; whether civil or military officers
were concerned or connected With such
proceedings, and whether such honors we're
forbidden in memory of the Federal dead.
This extraordinary resolution was inspired
by an article in free negro paper publish.
ed at Atlanta, Ga, stating that a procession
of negroes bearing flowers to decorate the