Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1866-06-20

In order to do this they must prove that I
the have re-established, with the con.
sent Of the peoples republican form of
government, in harmony with the Con-
stitution and laws of the United States
that all hostile purposes have ceased. and
should give adequate guarntees against
future treason and rebellion which will
prove satisfactory to the government
against which they rebelled, and by whose
arms they were subduej.
Fourth-Having forfeited all civil and
political rights under the Federal Con
stitution. they can only be restored there
to by the permission and authority of
that constitutional power against which
they re5elled, and by which they were
subdued.
Fifth-These rebellious armies were
conquered by the people of the United
States, acting through all the coordinate
branches of the government, and not by
the Executive department alone. The
powers of Congress are not so vested in
the President that he can fix and reg
ulate the terms of settlement and confer
Congressional representation upon con-
quered rebels and traitors, nor can he in
any way qualify enemies of the govern
ment to exercise the law-making power.
The authority to restore rebels to polit-
ical power in the federal government can
be exercised only with the concurrence
of all the departments in which political
power is vested, and hence the several
proclamations of the President to the
people of the Confederate States cannot
be considered declared, and can only be
regarded as provisional permissions by
the Commander-in-Chief of the army to
do certain acts, the effect and validity
whereof is to be determined by the con-
stitutional government, and not solely
by the Executive power.
Sixth-The question before Congress is
then, Whether conquered enemies have
the right, and shall be permitted at
their w terms, to participate in making
laws for their conquerers? Whether con-
quered rebels may change their theater
of operations from the battle fields,
where they were defeated and over
thrown, to the Halls of Congress, and
their representatives seize upon the gov
eminent which they fought to destroy ?
Whether the National Treasury, the
army of the Nation, its navy, its forts
and ~arsenals, its whole civil administra-
ton, Its credit, its pensioners, its widows
and orphans of those who persisted in the
war, the public honor, peace and safety,
shall all be turned out to the keeping of
its recent enemies without delay, and the
opinion of Congress, the security of the
country and its institutions may demand?
Seventh-The history of mankind ex-
hibits no example of. such madness and
folly. The instinct of self preservation
protests against it.
Eighth-No proof has been afforded to
Congress of a constituency in any one of
the so called Confederate State, unless we
except the State of Tennessee, qualified to
elect Senators and Representatives in
Congress. No State Constitution, or
amendment to a State constitution, has
had the sanction of the people. All the
so-called legislation of the State ConVen.
tions and Legislatures has been under
military dictation.
Ninth-The necessity of providing adj
! equate safeguards for the future before re.
storing theinsurrectionary States to a par,
ticipation in the direction of public affairs,
is apparent from the bitter hostility to
the Government and people ofthe United
States yet existing throughout the con-
quered territory, as proved incontestibly
by the testimony of many witnesses and
undisputed facts.
Tenth-The conclusion of your commit
tee therefore, is that the so-caIled Confed
crate States are not, at present, entitled
to representation in the Congress of the
United States; that before allowing such
representation, adequate security for fu.
ture peace and safety should be required;
that this can only be found in such chan
ges of the organic law as shall determine
the civil rights and privileges of all cit.
liens in all parts of the Republic, shall
place representation oil an equitable ba-
sis, shall fix a stigma upon treason, and
shall protect the loyal people against
future claims for the expenses incurred
in support of the rebellion and for manu-
mitted slaves. together with an express
: grant in Congress to enforce these pro.
visions. 10 this end they offer a joint
) resolution for amending the Constitution
and the two several bills designed to car
Z ry the same into effect before referred to.
The report is singed by W. P. Fessen.
l den, james G. Grimes, Ira Harris, j. NJ
Howard, George Fl. Williams, Thaddeus
Stevens, Justin S. Morrill,; John A. Bing
ham, Roscoe Conkling. George L. Bout
well.
The dissentents are Senator Reverdy
! johnson and Representatives Henry Girl
I der and Andrew j. Rogers.