Year: 1866




General Yarmouth, from the committee
| on the reconstructed States, then sub


mitted the following, the different passages
| of which were greeted with great applause +:


REPORT or THE COMMITTEE on NoN-RE-
CONSTRUCTOR STATES


The Committee on the Non-reconstrueted
States have the honor to submit the follow
ing report on the social and political status
| of the loyalists of such States, together
| pgith their needs and requirements


Previous to the war for sectional dlsunion,
the patriotic traditions the social pride, the
| Individual interests and the religious and
| educational influences of the South were
| identified and closely allied with the Ameri-
can Union. The patriotic instincts Of the
overwhelming majority of the Southern
| people, without regard to condition OF life,
| were in harmony with these elements. There


were social bonds extending from Maine to
| California, and the ties Of interest and con


sanpuinity ramifying every fibre of the Re
| public, and embracing every hcarthstone


and altar in the land
| Those who meditated treason were forced
| by this patriotic sentiment to put on the
livery of republicanism to serve monarchy
in. The disunion plotters, for instance,
0ecldTeQ
| State Rights, because its yindicatiOn was the


only means by which to conserve American
! nationality. They sought to check the
| Federal instincts of the American people by
| declaiming against what they termed the


anti-republican character of a strong, all


sufficient national government.


Thirty years of ceaseless agitation and
political intrigue failed to dissever the bonds
of a common country. Those who secretly
worked for the overthrow of American insti-
tutions, saw at last that the South must
have new social, political and military tradi-
tious-that the name Of Washington and
the deeds Of Bunker Hill be oblitera-
ted by blood before the final work Of South
ern independence could be achieved. A
pretext for war was sought, and the Gulf
States precipitated into revolution. In the
In the early stages of that revolution the


necessities of the conspirators compelled
them to keep up the pretext of patriotism,


until the madness and bloodEhed born Of


actual strife should place the liberties, per-


sons, and property OF the Southern people


within their control At the proper


moment force was substituted for fraud the


long concealed and bloody purpose of sec


tional disunlon, per Sc; openly declared, with
human slavery as its corner stone. The





the thirst for military glory, or the new
love of military adventure, the suddenly
aroused and unthiuking impulse Of woman,
the new sympathies, new resentments, new
hopes, and new traditions springlng lnevi.
tably from a state Of war, were calculated
upon and deliberately directed for the
accomplishment Of the traitors purpose.


After four years of bloody strife the first


phrase Of the contest closed by the suTren-


der of Lee to General Grant.


The termination of the bloody conflict
found the people of the South crushed to


the earth by the twofold influences Of mill


tary defeat and a long reign Of military des-


potism, welded by the disunionists with


selfshness and ferocity unparalleled in the


history of political crime.


Freed BY the Union arms from the
tvrants our unfortunate countrymen were


once more as freemen face to face with the
authors of their misery. They had seen
every pledge made to them violated every
principle, or pretext Of principle, trampled
under foot They saw around them the
desolation which had been wrought in
the interests of a selfish aristocracy, and


thew returned to their ruined homes and


decimated families, leaving the authors Of


all their woes to pay the penalties of all


their crimes ard receive, as they deserved,
the execration Of mankind.


Should the people of the South, under


the influence and guidance of the loyal men
return to the ancient traditions of their
fathers, and recognize loyal society in the
interest of American nationality and repub-
Hcan liberty or should they under the gui-
dance and influence Of the traitors who but
lately ruled over them, be confirmed in the
preiudices Of disunion This was the
| inuuiry which. at the close of the war,
sprung spontaneously from the mind Of every
lover of his country. Upon its decision de
rended the question whether the North or
South had fought in vain.


When the armies of the United States
compelled the surrender of these rebel for
ces. and the insurgents returned to their
homes, the patriots of the South welcomed
them back in the spirit Of forgiveness and
brotherly love. Their hoHses were thrown
open to them, and in the hour Of reunion
they overlooked their great crime and en-
deavored to heal the wounds Of injured
pride and unsuccessful ambition The first
question they asked themselves was this !:
| "What will the Government do with us n


1t was the general anticipation among them,
that having revolted against the Govern
ment having fought for four years to es-
tablish an independent government that
the United States, in justice to the hun
drcds of thousands Of noble patriotic sol


diers who had died for their country, in
Justice to the loyal men of the South, and
in Justice to its violated law, would impose
such penalties on the leaders of the rebel
lion as would prevent them from assuming
to control by administration, direction or
voice, the governments Of the insurrectory
States. With the full knowledge of the
issues which they themselves has deliber-
ately made. compelling the Government to


join issues with arms in its own defence,


and having after long and bloody trial,


been utterly defeated and overthrow, they


were conscious OF their own unworthiness to


participate in the work of reconstruction.


Indeed, judged by the code under which


they had governed during rebellion, they


had cause to tremble for fear of confscation


of property and banishment.


In this they were confirmed and their fears


intensified when, by the assassination of


President Lincoln, Mr. johnson, whose


pledges to the country that treason should


be made odious and traitors punished,


became the Executive of the nation Their
tears were relieved and their depression
turned to feelings of exultation and triumph
when the North Carolina proclamation de-
veloped the Presidents policy. From that
hour the question, "What will the Govern
ment do with us ?' was no longer asked, but
they at once began to deliberate what they
wOuld do with tha Governmpnt The aux-