Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1866-06-22


thrown, to the Halls Of Congress, and
through their representatives siezeupon the
Government which they fought to destroy
whether the National Treasury, the army
of the nation, its navy, It's forts and arse
nails, its whole civil administration. its cred
it, pensioners the widows and orphans OF
those who perished in the war, the public
honor, peace and safety shall all be turned
over to the keeping Of it's recent enemies
without delay and without imposing such
conditions as in the opinion Of Congress the
security 81 the country and its institutions
may demand
Seventh The history OF mankind exhib-
It's no example of such madness and toiiy.
The instincts Of selfpreservatIon protests
againstit. The surrender by Grant to lee,
and by Sherman to johnson would have
been disasters of less magnitude for new
armies could have been raised, new battles
fonght, and the Government saved the anti
coercive policy which, under the pFetext Of
avoiding bloodshed, allowed the rebellion to
take form and gather force, would be
surpassed in infany by the matchless wick
edness that would now surrender the halls Of
Congress 10 those so recently III rebellion
until proper precautions shall have been
taken to secure the national faith and
the national safety
Eighth-H has been shown in this report
and in evidence submitted, that no proof
has been afforded to Congress af a constitu-
ency in any of the so-called Confederate
States, unless we accept the State Of Ten
nessee, 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 Conventions and Legislature has been
had under military dictation. Ifthe Presi-
dent may at his viii and under his own
authority, whether as military commander
or Chief Executive qualify persons TO
appoint Senators and elect representatives,
and empower others to appoint and elect
them, he thereby practically controls the
organization of the Legislative Department
the constitutional form of Government is
thereby practically destroyed and its powers
absorbed in the Executive, and while your
committee do not for a moment impute to
the President any such design, but cheer
fully concede to him the most patriotic
motives, they can not but look with alarm
upon precedent so fraught with jassnger to.
the Republic
Ninth-The necessity of providing ade-
quate safe guards for the future before res
toring the insurrectionary States to a partic-
ipation in the dissection of public affairs is
apparent from the bitter hostility to the
Government and people of the United
States yet existing throughout the conquer
ed territories as proved incontcstab!y by the
! testimony Of many witnesses and fy undls-
puted facts
Tenth The conclusion Of your commit
tee therefore, is, that the socalled Confed-
I fi.lf 70.
! representation In the Congress Of the United
States that before allowing such Fapresen-
| tation adequate security for future peace and
safety should be required that this can
only be found in such changes Of the organ
izati0n of law as shall determine the civil
rights and privileges of the citizens in all
parts of the Republic; shall have repreSen-
tation on an equitable basis; shall tx a stig-
ma upon treason and protect the loyal peo-
pie against future claims for the expenses
| incurred in support of the rebellion. ant for
manumitted slaves together with IA express
grant of power in Congress to enforce these
provisions To this end they offer q joint
resolution for amending the Constitution Of
the United States and the two severed bills
designed to carry the same into effect, before
referred to- Before closing this report your
committee beg leave to state the specific rec
concentrations submitted to them are the
result Of concession after long and careful
comparison of conflicting opinions upon
question of such magnitude, infinitely ini-
portant as 1t IS to the future of the Repub-
lic 1t was not to be expected that all should
think alike Sensible Of the imperfections
Of the scheme, your committee submit to
Congress as the best they could agree upon
in the hope that its imperfection NAV lie
cured and It's deficiencies supplied by lo2.-
iative wisdom, and that, finally adoptei il
may tend to restore peace and harmony -
the country and to place our repuDiic,u IN
stitutions on a more stable foundatian.
tSigned) W p FEssENDEN.
JAMES w. GRIMES,
IRA HARRIS,
j. NJ HOWARD,
GEORGE H. WILLIAMS,
THADDEUs STEVENS,
JUsTIy S. MORRILL,,
JOHN A BINGHAM,
RoSCoE CoNKLING.
GEORGE s. boutwell,
The diSscnjieuts are Senator Johnson and
Representatives Grider and Rodgers.