Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1866-06-19
CHARLESTOWN, VIRGINIA, TUESDAY, JUNE 49, 1866

! hdNSb bSGu EdlSeu, uGW OdltleS IOuSuG anu the
Government saved. The anti,coercive policy
which, under the pretext of avoiding blood
shed, allowed the rebellion to take form and
gather force, would be surpassed in infamy
by the matchless wickedness that would now
surrender the halls of Congress to those SC
recently in rebellion, until proper precautions
shall have been taken to secure the national
faith and the national honor
Eighth. l. has been shown in this report
and in the evidence submitted, no proof has
been afforded to Congress of 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 a State constitution has had
the sanction of the people. All the so-callcd
legislation of State conventions and Legisla-
tnres has been had under military dictation.
If the President may, at his will and under
his own authority, whether as military cons
mapdcr or chief Executive, qualify persons
to dppoint Senators and elect Representatives
and empower others to appointan elect them,
he thereby practically controls the organiza-
ton Of the legislative department; the con-
stitutlonal form of government is thereby
practically destroyed, and its powers absorbed
III the Executive. And while your commits
tee do not for moment impute to the Pres
ident any such design, but chccrfully concede
to him the most patriotic motives, they can
not but look with alarm upon precedent SO
tlaught with danger to the Republic.
Ninth. The necessity of providing adequate
safeguards for the future before restoring the
insurrcctionary States to a participation 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 territory, as proved
incontcstably by the testimony of many wit
ncsses and by undisputed facts
Tenth. The conclusion of your committee.
therefore, is that the so~calicd Confederate
States arc not at present entitled to reprcsen-
tatiOn in the Congress of the United States :;
that before allowing such representation ade-
quatc security Tor future peace and safety
should be required; that 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 i;
shall have representation as an equitable ba-
sis; shall fix a stigma upon treason, and pro-
tcct the loyal people against future claims for
the expenses incurred in support of rebels
lion and for manumittcd slaves, together with
an express grant of. power in Congress to en-
force these provisions. Tothis end they Of
fer joint resolution for amending the Con-
SllluClOh Ot GIlc OnltcU StatCS, and the two
several bills designed to carry the same into
effect, before referred TO.
Before closing this report, your committee
deg leave to state that the specific recon-
mcndations submitted to them are the results
Of c9pcossiOn, after long and careful COM
parison of conflicting opinions. Upon qucs-
ton of such magnitude, infinitely important
as it is to the future Of the Republic, it was
not 10 be expected that all should think
alike. Sensible Of the impcrGcction of the
scheme, your committee submit it to Congress
as the best they could agree upon, in the
hope that its impcricctions may be cured, and
its deficiencies supplied by Legislative wis.,
dom, and that when finally adopted, it may
tend to restore peace and harmony to the
country, and to place our republican institu-
tiOns on Il more stable foundation.
GEO. II. WILLIAMS,
W.p. FESsENDEN,
JAMES w. GRIMES,
JUSTIN S. MORRILL,,
THADDEUs STEVENS,
JOHN y. BINGHAM,
ROSCOE CONKLING,
GEO. S. BOUTWELL,,
IRA HARRIS,
j. NJ. HOWARD.
The tlisscnticnts arc =: Senator johnson.
and Representatives Gridcr and Rodgers.