Clarksville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1865-1867, 1866-06-22

until proper precautions shall have been ia
ken to secure the national faith and the ma
tional safety.
Eighth. II has been shown in this report,
aud in the evidence submitted, no proof has
been afforded TO Congress of a constituency
in any of the so-called Confederate States,
unless we except the State of Tennessee,
qualified to elect Senators and Representa-
tives in Congress. No State constitution or
amendment to State constitution has had
the sanction of the people. All the so-called
legislation of State conventions and Legis-
latures has been had under military dicta-
tion. lfthe President may, at his will and
under his own authority, whether as militia
ry commander or chief Executive, qualify
persons TO appoint Senators and elect Rep
resentatiyes, and empower others to appoint
and elect them, he thereby practically con-
trolls the organization Of the legislative de-
partment the constitutional form of gov
ernment is thereby practically destroyed,
and its powers absorbed in the Executive
And while your committee do not for mo-
ment impute 10 the President any such de-
sign, but cheerfully concede to him the most
patriotic motives, they cannot but look with
alarm upon precedent SO fraught with dan
ger to the Republic.
Ninth. The necessity Of providing ade-
Iquate safeguards for the future before re-
storing the :nsurrectionary States to a par
ticipation in the direction of public affairs,
is apparent from the bitter hostility to the
Government and people Of the United States
yet existing throughout the conquered ter
ritory, as proved incontestsbly by the testi-
mony Of many witnesses and by uudisputed
facts.
Tenth. That the conclusion of your COM
mittee, therefore, is that the so-called Con-
federate States are not at present entitled to
representation in the Congress of the United
States; that before allowing such representa-.
tion adequate security for future peace and
and safety should be required that this can
only be found in such changes in the organ
ic law as shall determine the civil rights and
privileges of the citizens in all parts of the
RcpubliG shall have representation as an
equitable basis; shall fix a stigma upon trea-
son, and protect the loyal people from future
claims for the expenses incurred in support
of rebellion and for manumitted slaves, to-
gether with an express grant of power in
Congress to enforce the provisions. To this
end they offer joint resolution for amend
ing the Constitution of the United States,
and the two several bills designed to carry
the same into effect before referred to.
Before closing this report your committee
beg leave to state that the specific recon-
mendstions submitted to them are the results
of concession, after a long and careful COM
parison of conflicting opinions. Upon a
question Of such magnitude, infinitely i'm
portant as it is to the future of the Republic
it was not TO be expected that all should
think alike. Sensible of the imperfections
of the scheme, your committee submit it to
Congress as the best they could agree upon,
in the hope that its imperfections may be
cured, and its DEFICIENCIES supplied by legisla-
tive wisdom, and that when finally adopted,
it may tend to restore peace and harmony
to the country, and to place our republican
institutions on more stable foundation.
w. p. FEssESDEY, JAMES W. GRIMES,
IRA HARRIS ]. NJ. HOWARD,
GEO. II. WILLIAMS, THADDEUs STEVENS,
JUSTIN 5. MORRILL,, JOHN A. BINGHAM,
Roscoe CoSKLING, GEORGE s. boutwell,,
The dissentients are Senator johnson, and
Representatives Grider and Rogers.