Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1866-07-07
from the Houston Telegraph
Reconstruction Committees Re-
port.

Our dispatches by telegraph made
known to our readers several days
since, the leading points Of the Re-
port of the Reconstruction Commit
tee, on introducing the caucu' rcso-
lutions. Our Northern exchanges
received by last arrival from New
Orleans furnish this report in full,
The abstract already published by
us renders il unnecessary to lay the
main body Of the report at length,
before our readers. But ~ the Res
olutions have been passed by over
whelming majoritics in both Houses
of Congress, L. is not improbable
that they may be enforced in one
way or another, as the policy OF
Government in the matter OF recon-
struction Of the late Confederate
States. We accordingly present in
full to-day, the conclusion Of the
Committees Report, which is re-
capitulation in brief, under distinct
heads, of the facts and principles,
applicable to all the States recently
ia rebellion. The ffth and eighth
sections will receive careful atten.
ton, as an expose of the political
doctrines held by majority Of Con
gress, wherein they define and limit
the power of the President in nearly
all matters relative to the late Con-
federate States and to all persons
residing in the same. who took any
part in or gave any aid or counte-
nance to the late war. These doc
trines in effect, strip the Executive
of nearly all power. According to
them the pardon and amnesty grant
cd by the President is nullity or
at most, only sort Of nslle proseqW
for the present time. and the exer'
else of this authority by tn. Presi-
dent is at hest, only permissive and
al, matters may be revived rs ut the
time Of surrender. The matter is
grave.
EXTRACT FROM THE REPORT OF THE
RECONSTRUCTION COMMITTEE.
! We now propose to restate, as
briefly as possible, the general facts
and principles applicable to all the
States recently in rebellion:
FirSt-Thc seats of Senators and
Representative from the so-called
Confederate States became vacant in
the year 1861, during the second
session ofthe Thirty sixth Congress,
! by the voluntary withdrawal Of
their incumbents. with the sanction
and by. the direction of their re-
spective States. This was done as
d hostile act against the United
States, with the declared intent to
overthrow the same by forming a
Southern Confederation. This act
of declared hostility was speedily
! followed by an organization of the
same States into a Confcderacy which
levied and waged war by sea and
land against the United States.-
This war continued moro than four
years, within which period rebel
armies beseiged the national capitol
invaded the loyal States, burned
their towns and cities, robbed their
citizens, destroyed more than $780,
900 loyal soldiers, and imposed an
Increased NATIONAL burden of not less
than $4,000, 600, 900, of which seven
or eight hundred millions have been
met and paid. From the time these
Confederate States thus withdrew
their representation in Congress- and
levied war against the United States,
the great mass Of their people be-
came and were insurgents, traitors,
and all of them assumed and occu-
pied the political, legal and practi-
cal relation of enemies of the Unit
ed States. This position is estab-
lished by acts of Congress and ju-
dicial decisions, and is recognized
by the President in public prOcla-
nations, documents and speeches.
ISecond-The States thus confede-
rated prosecuted their war against
the United States to final arbitra-
ment, and did not cease until all
their armies were captured. their
military power destroyed, their civ
il officers, State and Confederate, ta-
ken prisoners or put to flight. every
vestige of State and Confederate
government obliterated, their terri.
tory Overrun and occupied by the
Federal armies, and their people re-
duced to the condition of enemies
conquered in war entitled only by
publ law 20 such rights privileges
and conditions as might be vOuch-
safed by the conqueror This pO-
sition is also established by judicial
decisions, and is recognized by the
President in public procIamations,
documents and speeches.
q Third-Having voluntarily de-
prived themselves Of representa-
ton in Congress, for the criminal
purpose of destroying the federal
Union, and having reduced them
selves, by the act of levying war, to
the condition Of public enemies,
they have no right to complain OF
temporary exclusion from Congress;
but, on the contrary, having volun-
tarily renounced their right to rep
rescntation and disqualified them
selves by crime from participating
in the government, the burden now
rests upon them, before claiming to
be reinstated in their former condi-
ton, to show that they are qualified
to resume federal relations. In or
der to do this they must prove that
they have established. with the con-
sent Of the people, republican forms
ef government, in harmony with
the constitution and laws Of the
IT-....J C.o.as. thaf al hout;fo rur.