Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1868-02-07
MiBfellaAFpn5.
RECoNsTKUCTION.

Pennsylvania, in the House Of Rep
/ resentatiyes, January 20, 1868.
/ The House having under consideration the
/ bill II. r. No. 439j additional and supple.
/ mentary 70 an act entitled .An act to pro-
/ vide for the more efficient government of the
rebel States y passed March , 1867
Mr. K0ONTZ said:
Mr. SPEAKER This bill has been pretty
thoroughly discussed on both sides Of the
House, and | viii endeay0F, 10 as brief a
time as possible, to present to the consider
alton Of the House my reasons for support
ing the measure. In discussing this bin
there are three things to be considered: first,
what is proposed to be done by the bill
second, has Congress the power to pass il?
third, Is there now such pressing public
necessity as calls upon Congress for the pas
sage Of the bil2
This bill proposes TO declare that in the
/ late rebeilious States there are no civil
State governments republican IN form, and
that the s0-called civil governments in said
States, respectively, shall not BE- recognized
as valid or legal State governments either by
the executive or Judicial power or authority
of the United States.
The bill also proposes to confer upon the
General Of the Army the power ITO enjoin,
( by special orders, upon ali. officers in com
mand within the several military depart
meuts within said several States, the perfor-
| nance Of all acts authorized by said several
I laws above recited, and to remove By his
/ order frIm command any or all Of said com
manders and detail other officers Of the
/ United States Army, not below the rank of
I colonel, to perform all the duties aud exer-
else ali the powers authorized by SAID sever
al acts.
The bill also c0DteFs upon the General OF
the Army the power Of removal from and
appointment to the civil Offices under those
several provisional governments 1t further
declares that 1t shall be unlawful for the
President of the United States to order any
part Of the Army or Navy Of the United
States to assist By force of arms the author
ity of either of said provisional governments
in said dis0rcauiZed States TO oppose or OBJ
struct the authority Of the United States as
provided iu this act and the act to which
this IS supplementary
Then there Is added q section making it
/ penal ofense for an. person 20 attempt to
I prevent by force the execution Of the orders
I Of the General Of the Army.
These, sir are IN brief the provisions of
the BILL The question Is, has Congress
the lawful power and authority to pass this
measure? And, sir, iu asserting the power
I Of Congress over this question 1t becomes
: necessary 10 sustain the allegation OF fact
+ contained 10 the first section Of the bill, thst
I in those States there are no civil State gov
eruments republican IN form; for, sir, | con-
cede that if il be not true IN point Of fact
/ that there are 10 such civil governments IN
i those States then this proposed legislation
and all the legislation of Congress pertaining
+ to the question Of reconstruction Is wrong
/ but if on the other hand, ii be true in point
of fact that there are no valid State govern
ments in those States, then | apprehend
+ that gentlemen on all sides Of this House
/ will e0Dccie that there Is necessity for some
+ legislation, either in the shape Of this bill or
some other.
Now, sir. Is it true that there are no legal
/ State governments 10 those States2 ! main
( tain that itis. [ DO not deny that prior to
+ 1861 there were legal State governments IN
/ those States holding their true relation to
+ the Government Of the United States and
acting harmoniously with the other States Of
+ the Union, under the Constitution, the su
/ prcme law Of the land. But l assert that
. those governments were overthTogn by
traitors; that they were seized by men whose
( hearts were filed with treason, and all, or
nearly. all 9f the legislative, executive, and
judicial officers Of those States assisted in car
the United States
II Is necessary. sir. TO briefly allude to
some Of the leading events Of that period
/ 4 Republican President had been elected IN
( accordance with the provisions Of the Con
stitution Of the United States; but because
( be and bis party were Of a different political
+ faith to theirs, they seized upon what they
( considered favorable opportunity to en-
/ force their longcheFishcd doctrine Of State
rights For many years the political lead
ers Of the South had been PrOmulgating the
wicked and dangerous theory that 10 was
! within the power Of any one of the States.
j at its pleasure, 70 sever ITS connection With
{ the Government Of the United States, and
( the election Of a President by the Republic
+ az party was made the pretext for rebellion;
and would here remind gentlemen who are
continually denouucing the Republican par
ty for what they ailege to be its uneonstItu-
ti9uai acts, that IN the election OF Abraham
Lincoln that party was strictly within the
limits Of the Constitution, and that the lead
ers of the rebellion not only dlsTegarded the
plain provisions Of the Constitution m re-
susing 20 abide by that election, but engaged
in their unholy work before his AdmInistra-
ton had conc into power ard without wait
Z ing to see whether. 50 far as they we're con
cerued he would not take care thatthe laws
+ Of the land we're faithfully executed. 1t
viii be remembered that they passed their
ordinances of secession, and by the most
solemn tgislafivs enactment declared that
their States were no longer bound to the
General Government. Not ouly that, but
they seized upon al the public property
within the limits of those States. They
seized upon the forts, sFseuals. iaInts, Gus.
tom houses, navy yard, ana ail the prep
eIty belonging 10 the United States Govern
! ment therein. They vent further, sir; they