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and wilfully obstruct, hinder or prevent any
officer, or other person charged with the execu-
tion of any warrant or process issued under the
provisions of this act, or any person or persons
lawfully assisting him or them, from arresting
any person for whose apprehension such warraut
or process may have been issued, or shall rescue
or attempt to rescue such person from the custody
of the officer, other person or persons, or those
lawfully assisting as aforesaid, when so arrested
pursuant to the authority herein given and de-
clared, or shall aid, abet, or assist any person so
arrested as aforesaid, directly or indirectly, to
escape from the custody of the officer or other
person legally authorized as aforesaid, or shall
harbor or conceal any person for whose arrest a
warrant or process shall have been issued as
aforesaid, so as to prevent his discovery and
arrest after notice or knowledge of the fact that-yeas 33, nays 12, as follow:
a warrant has been issued for the apprehension
of such person, shall, for either of said offences,
be subject to a fine not exceeding one thousand
dollars, and imprisonment not exceeding six
months, by indictment and conviction before
the district court of the United States for the
district in which said offence may have been
committed, or before the proper court of criminal
jurisdiction, if committed within any one of the
organized Territories of the United States.

speedy arrest and trial of persons charged with
a violation of this act; and it shall be the duty
of every judge or other officer, when any such
requisition shall be received by him, to attend
at the place and for the time therein designated.

SEC. 9. That it shall be lawful for the President of the United States, or such person as he may empower for that purpose, to employ such part of the land or naval forces of the United States, or of the militia, as shall be necessary to prevent the violation and enforce the due execution of this act.

SEC. 10. That upon all questions of law arising in any cause under the provisions of this act, a final appeal may be taken to the Supreme Court of the United States.

The votes on this bill were:

1866, February 2-The SENATE passed the bill

YEAS-Messrs. Anthony, Brown, Chandler, Clark, Conness, Cragin, Dixon, Fessenden, Foot, Foster, Harris, Henderson, Howard, Howe, Kirkwood, Lane of Indiana, Lane of Kansas, Morgan, Morrill, Nye, Poland, Pomeroy, Ramsey, Sherman, Sprague, Stewart, Sumner, Trumbull, Wade, Willey, Williams. Wilson, Yates-33.

NAYS-Messrs. Buckalew, Cowan, Davis, Guthrie, Hendton, Van Winkle-12. ricks, McDougall, Nesmith, Norton, Riddle, Saulsbury, Stock

March 9-The bill being before the HOUSE,
Mr. ELDRIDGE moved that it lie on the table;
follow:
which was disagreed to-yeas 32, nays 118, as

Dawson, Denison, Eldridge, Glossbrenner, Goodyear, Grider,
YEAS-Messrs. Ancona, Boyer, Brooks, Chanler, Coffroth,
Aaron Harding, Harris, Hogan, Edwin N. Hubbell, Kerr,
Le Blond, Marshall, Niblack, Nicholson, Radford, Ritter,
Rogers, Ross, Rousseau, Shanklin, Sitgreaves, Taber, Taylor,
Thornton, Trimble, Winfield.-32.

NAYS-Messrs. Alley, Allison, Ames, Anderson, D. R. Ash-
ley, James M. Ashley, Baker, Baldwin, Banks, Baxter, Bea-
man, Bidwell, Bingham, Blaine, Blow, Boutwell, Bromwell,
Broomall, Buckland, Bundy, Sidney Clarke, Cobb, Conkling,
Cook, Cullom, Darling, Davis, Defrees, Delano, Deming, Dixon,
Donnelly, Driggs, Dumont, Eliot, Farnsworth, Farquhar, Fer-
Higby, Hill, Holmes, Hooper, Asahel W. Hubbard, Chester D.
Hubbard, Demas Hubbard, jr., John H. Hubbard, Hulburd,
James Humphrey, Ingersoll, Jenckes, Julian, Kelley, Kelso,
Ketcham, Kuykendall, Latham, George V. Lawrence, William
Lawrence, Loan, Longyear, Lynch, Marston, Marvin, McClurg,
McKee, McRuer, Mercur, Miller, Moorhead, Morill, Morris,
Moulton, Myers, O'Neill, Orth, Paine, Perham, Phelps, Pike,
Sawyer, Schenck, Scofield, Shellabarger, Sloan. Spalding,
Plants, Price, Raymond, Alexander H. Rice, John H. Rice,
Starr, Stevens, Thayer, Francis Thomas, John L. Thomas, jr.,
Trowbridge, Upson, Van Aernam, Buri Van Horn, Robert T.
Washburn, William B. Washburn, Welker, Wentworth,
Van Horn, Ward, Warner, Ellihu B. Washburne, Henry D.
Whaley, Williams, James F. Wilson, Stephen F. Wilson, Win-
dom, Woodbridge.—118.

SEC. 7. That the district attorneys, the marshals, their deputies, and the clerks of the said district and territorial courts shall be paid for their services the like fees as may be allowed to them for similar services in other cases; and in all cases where the proceedings are before a commissioner, he shall be entitled to a fee of ten dollars in full for his services in each case, inclusive of all services incident to such arrest and examination. The person or persons authorized to execute the process to be issued by such commissioners for the arrest of offenders against they, Grinnell, Abner C. Harding, Hart, Hayes, Henderson, provisions of this act shall be entitled to a fee of five dollars for each person he or they may arrest and take before any such commissioner as aforesaid, with such other fees as may be deemed reasonable by such commissioner for such other additional services as may be necessarily performed by him or them, such as attending at the examination, keeping the prisoner in custody, and providing him with food and lodging during his detention, and until the final determination of such commissioner, and in general for performing such other duties as may be required in the premises; such fees to be made up in conformity with the fees usually charged by the officers of the courts of justice within the proper district or county, as near as may be practicable, and paid out of the treasury of the United States on the certificate of the judge of the district within which the arrest is made, and to be recoverable from the defendant as part of the judgment in case of conviction.

March 13-The bill passed-yeas 111, nays 38, as follow:

YEAS Messrs. Alley, Allison, Ames, Anderson, James M.

Ashley, Baker, Baldwin, Banks, Baxter, Beaman, Bidwell, Blaine, Blow, Boutwell, Bromwell, Broomall, Buckland, Bundy, Sidney Clarke, Cobb, Conkling, Cook, Cullom, Darling. Davis, Dawes, Delano, Deming, Dixon, Donnelly, Driggs, Dumont, Eliot, Farnsworth, Farquhar, Ferry, Garfield, Grin nell, Abner C. Harding, Hart, Hayes, Higby, Hill, Holmes, Hooper, Asahel W. Hubbard, Chester D. Hubbard, Demas Hubbard, John H. Hubbard, Hulburd, James Humphrey, Ingersoll, Jenckes, Julian, Kelley, Kelso, Ketcham, KuySEC. 8. That whenever the President of the kendall, Laflin, George V. Lawrence, William Lawrence, United States shall have reason to believe that Loan, Longyear, Lynch, Marston, Marvin, McClurg, McRuer, Mercur, Miller, Moorhead, Morrill, Morris, Moulton, offences have been, or are likely to be committed Myers, Newell, O'Neill, Orth, Paine, Perham, Pike, Plants, against the provisions of this act within any Price, Alexander II. Rice, Sawyer, Schenck, Scofield, Sheljudicial district, it shall be lawful for him, in his labarger, Sloan, Spalding, Starr, Stevens, Thayer, Francis Thomas, John L. Thomas, Trowbridge, Upson, Van Aernam, discretion, to direct the judge, marshal, and dis-Burt Van Horn, Ward, Warner, Ellihu B. Washburne, Wil trict attorney of such district to attend at such liam B. Washburn, Welker, Wentworth, Whaley, Williams, James F. Wilson, Stephen F. Wilson, Windom, Woodplace within the district, and for such time as bridge-111. he may designate, for the purpose of the more NAYS-Messrs. Ancona, Bergen, Bingham, Boyer, Brooks,

March 27-The bill was vetoed.

April 6-The SENATE passed the bill, notwithstanding the objections of the Fresident, by a vote of 33 yeas to 15 nays, as follow:

Coffroth, Dawson, Denison, Glossbrenner, Goodyear, Grider, | the number at from thirty-five thousand to Aaron Harding, Harris, Hogan, Edwin N. Hubbell. Jones, forty thousand souls. The people are princiKerr, Latham, Le Blond, Marshall, McCullough, Nicholson, Phelps, Radford, Samuel J. Randall, William H. Randall, pally recent settlers, many of whom are underRitter, Rogers, Ross, Rousseau, Shanklin, Sitgreaves, Smith, stood to be ready for removal to other mining Taber, Taylor, Thornton, Trimble, Winfield-38. districts beyond the limits of the Territory, if March 15-The Senate concurred in the House circumstances shall render them more inviting. amendments. Such a population cannot but find relief from excessive taxation if the territorial system, which devolves the expenses of the executive, legislative, and judicial departments upon the United States, is for the present continued. YEAS-Messrs. Anthony, Brown, Chandler, Clark, Con- They cannot but find the security of person and ness, Cragin, Creswell, Edmunds, Fessenden, Foster, Grimes, Harris, Henderson, Howard, Howe, Kirkwood, Lane of In- property increased by their reliance upon the diana, Morgan, Morrill, Nye, Poland, Pomeroy, Ramsey, national executive power for the maintenance Sherman, Sprague, Stewart, Sumner, Trumbull, Wade, of law and order against the disturbances necesWilley, Williams, Wilson, Yates-33. NAYS-Messrs. Buckalew, Cowan, Davis, Doolittle, Guth-sarily incident to all newly organized commurie, Hendricks, Johnson, Lane of Kansas, McDougall, Nes- nities. mith, Norton, Riddle, Saulsbury, Van Winkle, Wright-15. April 9—The HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES again passed it-yeas 122, nays 41, as follow: YEAS-Messrs. Alley, Allison, Delos R. Ashley, James M. Ashley, Baker, Baldwin, Banks, Barker, Baxter, Beaman, Benjamin, Bidwell, Boutwell, Brandegee, Bromwell, Broomall, Buckland, Bundy, Reader W. Clarke, Sidney Clarke, Cobb, Colfax, Conkling, Cook, Cullom, Darling, Davis, Dawes, Defrees, Delano, Deming, Dixon, Dodge, Donnelly, Eckley, Eggleston, Eliot, Farnsworth, Farquhar, Ferry, Garfield, Grinnell, Griswold, Hale, Abner C. Harding, Hart, Hayes, Henderson, Higby, Hill, Holmes, Hooper, Hotchkiss, Asahel W. Hubbard, Chester D. Hubbard, John II. Hubbard, James Kasson, Kelley, Kelso, Ketcham, Laflin, George V. Law rence, William Lawrence, Loan, Longyear, Lynch, Marston, Marvin, McClurg, McIndoe, McKee, McRuer, Mercur, Miller, Moorhead, Morrill, Morris, Moulton, Myers, Newell, O'Neill, Orth, Paine, Patterson, Perham, Pike, Plants, Pomeroy, Price, Alexander II. Rice, John H. Rice, Rollins, Sawyer, Schenck, Scofield, Shellabarger, Spalding, Starr, Stevens, Thayer, Francis Thomas, John L. Thomas, jr., Trowbridge, Upson, Van Aernam, Burt Van Horn, Robert T. Van Horn, Ward, Ellihu B. Washburne, Henry D. Washburn, William B. Washburn, Welker, Wentworth, James F. Wilson, Stephen F. Wilson, Windom, Woodbridge.-122. NAYS-Messrs. Ancona, Bergen, Boyer, Coffroth, Dawson, Denison, Eldridge, Finck, Glossbrenner, Aaron Harding, Harris, Hogan, Edwin N. Hubbell, James M. Humphrey, Latham, Le Blond, Marshall, McCullough, Niblack, Nicholson, Noell, Phelps, Radford. Samuel J. Randall, William H. Randall, Raymond, Ritter, Rogers, Ross, Rousseau, Shanklin, Sitgreaves, Smith, Strouse, Taber, Taylor, Thornton, Trimble, Whaley, Winfield, Wright.-41.

R. Hubbell, Hulburd, James Humphrey, Ingersoll, Jenckes,

Whereupon the Speaker of the House declared the bill a law.

Veto of the Colorado Bill, May 15, 1866. To the Senate of the United States:

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I return to the Senate, in which house it originated, the bill which has passed both Houses of Congress, entitled An act for the admission of the State of Colorado into the Union," with my objections to its becoming a law at this time. First. From the best information which I have been able to obtain, I do not consider the establishment of a State government at present necessary for the welfare of the people of Colorado. Under the existing Territorial government all the rights, privileges, and interests of the citizens are protected and secured. The qualified voters choose their own legislators and their own local officers, and are represented in Congress by a delegate of their own selection. They make and execute their own municipal laws, subject only to revision by Congress-an authority not likely to be exercised, unless in extreme or extraordinary cases. The population is small, some estimating it so low as twentyfive thousand, while advocates of the bill reckon

Second. It is not satisfactorily established that a majority of the citizens of Colorado desire, or are prepared for an exchange of a territorial for a State government. In September, 1864, under the authority of Congress, an election was lawfully appointed and held, for the purpose of ascertaining the views of the people upon this particular question. 6,192 votes were cast, and of this number a majority of 3,152 was given against the proposed change. In September, 1865, without any legal authority, the question was again presented to the people of the Territory, with a view of obtaining a reconsideration of the result of the election held in compliance with the act of Congress approved March 21, 1864. At this second election 5,905 votes were polled, and a majority of 155 was given in favor of a State organization. It does not seem to me entirely safe to receive this, the last mentioned result, so irregularly obtained, as sufficient to outweigh the one which had been legally obtained in the first election. Regularity and conformity to law are essential to the preservation of order and stable government, and should, as far as practicable, always be observed in the formation of new States.

Third. The admission of Colorado, at this time, as a State into the federal Union, appears to me to be incompatible with the public interests of the country. While it is desirable that territories, when sufficiently matured, should be organized as States, yet the spirit of the Constitution seems to require that there should be an approximation towards equality among the several States comprising the Union. No State can have less or more than two Senators in Congress. The largest State has a population of four millions; several of the States have a population exceeding two millions; and many others have a population exceeding one million. A population of 127,000 is the ratio of apportionment of representatives among the several States.

If this bill should become a law, the people of Colorado, thirty thousand in number, would have in the House of Representatives one member, while New York, with a population of four millions, has but thirty-one; Colorado would have in the electoral college three votes, while New York has only thirty-three; Colorado would have in the Senate two votes, while New York has no more.

Inequalities of this character have already occurred, but it is believed that none have hap

Copy of the Bill.

pened where the inequality was so great. When as completely as possible, so that all those who such inequality has been allowed, Congress is are expected to bear the burdens of the Federal supposed to have permitted it on the ground of Government shall be consulted concerning the some high public necessity, and under circum admission of new States; and that in the mean stances which promised that it would rapidly time no new State shall be prematurely and undisappear through the growth and development necessarily admitted to a participation in the of the newly admitted State. Thus, in regard political power which the Federal Government to the several States in what was formerly called wields, not for the benefit of any individual the "northwest territory," lying east of the Mis-State or section, but for the common safety, sissippi, their rapid advancement in popula- welfare, and happiness of the whole country. tion rendered it certain that States admitted with ANDREW JOHNSON. only one or two representatives in Congress, WASHINGTON, D. C., May 15, 1866. would, in a very short period, be entitled to a great increase of representation. So, when California was admitted on the ground of commer- AN ACT for the admission of the State of Colocial and political exigencies, it was well foreseen that that State was destined rapidly to become a great, prosperous, and important mining and anno Domini eighteen hundred and sixty-four, commercial community. In the case of Colo-Congress passed an act to enable the people of rado, I am not aware that any national exigency, Colorado to form a constitution and State goveither of a political or commercial nature, re- ernment, and offered to admit said State, when quires a departure from the law of equality, so formed, into the Union upon compliance with which has been so generally adhered to in our certain conditions therein specified; and whereas history. it appears by a message of the President of the United States, dated January twelve, eighteen hundred and sixty-six, that the said people have adopted a constitution, which upon due examination is found to conform to the provisions and comply with the conditions of said act, and to be republican in its form of government, and that they now ask for admission into the Union:

rado into the Union. Whereas, on the twenty-first day of March,

If information submitted in connection with this bill is reliable, Colorado, instead of increasing, has declined in population. At an election for members of a territorial legislature held in 1861, 10,580 votes were cast. At the election before mentioned, in 1864, the number of votes cast was 6,192; while at the irregular election held in 1865, which is assumed as a basis for Be it enacted, &c., That the constitution and legislative action at this time, the aggregate State government which the people of Colorado of votes was 5,905. Sincerely anxious for the have formed for themselves be, and the same is welfare and prosperity of every Territory and hereby, ratified, accepted, and confirmed, and that State, as well as for the prosperity and welfare the said State of Colorado shall be, and is hereby, of the whole Union, I regret this apparent de- declared to be one of the United States of Amercline of population in Colorado; but it is mani-ica, and is hereby admitted into the Union upon fest that it is due to emigration which is going an equal footing with the original States, in all on from that Territory into other regions within respects whatsoever. the United States, which either are in fact, or SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That the are believed by the inhabitants of Colorado to said State of Colorado shall be, and is hereby, be, richer in mineral wealth and agricultural re- declared to be entitled to all the rights, privisources. If, however, Colorado has not really leges, grants, and immunities, and to be subject declined in population, another census, or to all the conditions and restrictions, of an act another election under the authority of Con- entitled "An act to enable the people of Cologress, would place the question beyond doubt, rado to form a constitution and a State governand cause but little delay in the ultimate ad-ment, and for the admission of such State into mission of the Territory as a State, if desired by the people.

The tenor of these objections furnishes the reply which may be expected to an argument in favor of the measure derived from the enabling act which was passed by Congress on the 21st day of March, 1864. Although Congress then supposed that the condition of the Territory was such as to warrant its admission as a State, the result of two years' experience shows that every reason which existed for the institution of a territorial instead of a State government in Colorado, at its first organization, still continues in force.

The condition of the Union at the present moment is calculated to inspire caution in regard to the admission of new States. Eleven of the old States have been for some time, and still remain, unrepresented in Congress. It is a common interest of all the States, as well those represented as those unrepresented, that the integrity and harmony of the Union should be restored

the Union on an equal footing with the original
States," approved March twenty-first, eighteen
hundred and sixty-four.

The votes on this bill were:
IN SENATE.
March 13-The bill was rejected-yeas 14,
nays 21, as follow:

YEAS-Messrs. Chandler, Cragin, Kirkwood, Lane of Indiana, Lane of Kansas, McDougall, Nesmith, Norton, Pomeroy, Ramsey, Sherman, Stewart, Trumbull, Williams-14. NAYS-Messrs. Buckalew. Conness, Creswell, Davis, Doolittle, Fessenden, Foster, Grimes, Guthrie, Harris, Hendricks, Morgan, Morrill, Poland, Riddle, Sprague, Stocktm, Sumner, Van Winkle, Wade, Wilson-21.

Mr. Wilson entered a motion to reconsider the vote.

April 25-The Senate voted to reconsider; yeas 19, nays 13. (Same as below.)

The bill was then passed-yeas 19, nays 13, as follow:

well, Howard, Howe, Kirkwood, Lane of Indiana, Nye, Pomeroy, Ramsey, Sherman, Sprague, Stewart, Trumbull, Van Winkle, Willey, Wilson—19.

YEAS-Messrs. Chandler, Clark, Conness, Cragin, Cres

NAYS-Messrs. Buckalew, Davis, Doolittle, Edmunds,
Foster, Grimes, Guthrie, Hendricks, McDougall, Morgan,
Poland, Riddle, Sumner-13.
IN HOUSE.

May 3-The bill was passed-yeas 81, nays 57, as follow:

YEAS-Messrs. Ames, Anderson, Delos R. Ashley, James M. Ashley, Baker, Banks, Barker, Beaman, Benjamin, Bidwell, Bingham, Blow, Brandegee, Bromwell, Buckland, Bundy, Reader W. Clarke, Sidney Clarke, Cobb, Conkling Cullom, Defrees, Deming, Dixon, Dodge, Donnelly. Driggs, Dumont, Eckley, Farquhar, Ferry, Garfield, Grinnell, Abner C. Harding, Hart, Henderson, Holmes, Hotchkiss, Asahel W. Hubbard, Chester D. Hubbard, James R. Hubbell, Ingersoll, Jenckes, Kasson, Kelso, Ketcham, Laflin, Latham, George V. Lawrence, William Lawrence, Loan, Longyear, Marston, McClurg, McKee, Mercur, Miller, Moorhead, Moulton, Myers, O'Neill, Orth, Patterson, Plants, Alexander H. Rice, Rollins, Sawyer, Schenck, Shellabarger, Smith, Spalding, Francis Thomas, Trowbridge, Upson, Van Aernam, Burt Van Horn, Robert T. Van Horn, Warner, Welker,

Whaley, Williams-81.

NAYS-Messrs. Allison, Alley, Ancona, Baxter, Bergen, Blaine, Boutwell, Boyer, Broomall, Ghanler, Coffroth, DarJing, Dawson, Denison, Eldridge, Eliot, Finck, Glossbrenner, Grider, Griswold, Aaron Harding, Harris, Higby, James Humphrey, Julian, Kelley, Kuykendall, Le Blond, Lynch, Marshall, McCullough, McRuer, Morrill, Morris, Newell, Niblack, Paine, Perham, Pike, Raymond, John H. Rice, Ritter, Ross, Rousseau. Shanklin, Stevens, Stilwell, Strouse, Taylor, Thornton, Ellihu B. Washburne, Henry D. Washburn, James F. Wilson, Windom, Winfield, Woodbridge,

Wright-57.

Up to the time this page is put to press, no vote has been taken on the re-passage of the vetoed bill. When taken, it will be inserted in a subsequent page.

Message Respecting the Proposed Constitutional Amendment on Representation, &c., June 22, 1866.

To the Senate and House of Representatives:

I submit to Congress a report of the Secretary of State, to whom was referred the concurrent resolution of the 18th instant, respecting a submission to the legislatures of the States of an additional article to the Constitution of the United States.

It will be seen from this report that the Secretary of State had, on the 16th instant, transmitted to the Governors of the several States certified copies of the joint resolution passed on the 13th instant, proposing an amendment to the Constitution.

Nor have the sovereign people of the nation been afforded an opportunity of expressing their views upon the important questions which the amendment involves. Grave doubts therefore may naturally and justly arise as to whether the action of Congress is in harmony with the sentiments of the people, and whether State legislatures, elected without reference to such an issue, should be called upon by Congress to decide respecting the ratification of the proposed amendment..

Waiving the question as to the constitutional validity of the proceedings of Congress upon the joint resolution proposing the amendment, or as to the merits of the article which it submits through the executive department to the legislatures of the States, I deem it proper to observe that the steps taken by the Secretary of State, as detailed in the accompanying report, are to be considered as purely ministerial, and in no sense whatever committing the Executive to an approval or a recommendation of the amendment to the State legislatures or to the people. On the contrary, a proper appreciation of the letter and spirit of the Constitution, as well as of the interests of national order, harmony, and union, and a due deference for an enlightened public judgment, may at this time well suggest a doubt whether any amendment to the Constitution ought to be proposed by Congress and pressed upon the legislatures of the several States for final decision until after the admission of such loyal Senators and Representatives of the now unrepresented States as have been, or may hereafter be, chosen in conformity with the Constitution and laws of the United States. ANDREW JOHNSON.

WASHINGTON, D. C., June 22, 1866.

To the President:

The Secretary of State, to whom was referred the concurrent resolution of the two Houses of Congress of the 18th instant, in the following Even in ordinary times any question of words: "That the President of the United States amending the Constitution must be justly re- be requested to transmit forthwith to the execugarded as of paramount importance. This im- tives of the several States of the United States portance is at the present time enhanced by the copies of the article of amendment proposed by fact that the joint resolution was not submitted Congress to the State legislatures to amend the by the two Houses for the approval of the Presi- Constitution of the United States, passed June dent, and that of the thirty-six States which 13, 1866, respecting citizenship, the basis of repconstitute the Union eleven are excluded from resentation, disqualification for office, and validrepresentation in either House of Congress, ity of the public debt of the United States, &c., although, with the single exception of Texas, to the end that the said States may proceed to they have been entirely restored to all their act upon the said article of amendment, and that functions as States, in conformity with the orhe request the executive of each State that may ganic law of the land, and have appeared at the ratify said amendment to transmit to the Secrenational capital by Senators and Representa-tary of State a certified copy of such ratification,' tives, who have applied for and have been refused admission to the vacant seats.

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has the honor to submit the following report, namely: That on the 16th instant the Hon. Amasa Cobb, of the Committee of the House of Representatives on Enrolled Bills, brought to this Department and deposited therein an enrolled resolution of the two Houses of Congress, which was thereupon received by the Secretary of State and deposited among the rolls of the Department, a copy of which is hereunto an

[Circular.]

DEPARTMENT OF STATE, June 16, 1866.

Governor of the State of

nexed. Thereupon the Secretary of State, upon
the 16th instant, in conformity with the pro-
ceeding which was adopted by him in 1865, in To his Excellency
regard to the then proposed and afterwards
adopted congressional amendment of the Consti-
tution of the United States concerning the pro-
hibition of slavery, transmitted certified copies
of the annexed resolution to the Governors of
the several States, together with a certificate and
circular letter. A copy of both of these com-
munications are hereunto annexed.

Respectfully submitted,

WILLIAM H. SEWARD. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, June 20, 1866.

:

SIR: I have the honor to transmit an attested copy of a resolution of Congress, proposing to the legislatures of the several States a fourteenth article to the Constitution of the United States. The decisions of the several legislatures upon the subject are required by law to be communicated to this Department. An acknowledgment of the receipt of this communication is requested by Your excellency's most obedient servant, WILLIAM H. SEWARD.

VII.

MAJORITY AND MINORITY REPORTS

OF THE

JOINT COMMITTEE ON RECONSTRUCTION.

The Majority Report.

June 18, 1866-Mr. FESSENDEN in the Senate, and Mr. STEVENS in the House, submitted this

REPORT:

That they have attended to the duty assigned them as assiduously as other duties would permit, and now submit to Congress, as the result of their deliberations, a resolution proposing amendments to the Constitution, and two bills, of which they recommend the adoption.

States were left at the close of the war; the measures which have been taken towards the reorganization of civil government, and the disposition of the people towards the United States in a word, their fitness to take an active part in the administration of national affairs.

As to their condition at the close of the rebel

haustion.

The

The Joint Committee of the two Houses of Congress, appointed under the concurrent resolution of December 13, 1865, with direction to "in-lion, the evidence is open to all, and admits of quire into the condition of the States which no dispute. They were in a state of utter exformed the so-called Confederate States of Having protracted their struggle America, and report whether they or any of against federal authority until all hope of sucthem are entitled to be represented in either cessful resistance had ceased, and laid down their House of Congress, with leave to report by bill arms only because there was no longer any or otherwise," ask leave to report: power to use them, the people of those States were left bankrupt in their public finances, and shorn of the private wealth which had before given them power and influence. They were also necessarily in a state of complete anarchy, without governments and without the power to frame governments except by the permission of those who had been successful in the war. President of the United States, in the proclamations under which he appointed provisional governors, and in his various communications to them, has, in exact terms, recognized the fact that the people of those States were, when the rebellion was crushed, "deprived of all civil government," and must proceed to organize anew. In his conversation with Mr. Stearns, of Massachusetts, certified by himself, President Johnson said "the State institutions are prostrated, laid out on the ground, and they must be taken up and adapted to the progress of events." Finding the Southern States in this condition, and Congress having failed to provide for the contingency, his duty was obvious. As President of the United States he had no power, ex

Before proceeding to set forth in detail their reasons for the conclusion to which, after great deliberation, your committee have arrived, they beg leave to advert, briefly, to the course of proceedings they found it necessary to adopt, and to explain the reasons therefor.

The resolution under which your committee was appointed directed them to inquire into the condition of the Confederate States, and report whether they were entitled to representation in Congress. It is obvious that such an investigation, covering so large an extent of territory and involving so many important considerations, must necessarily require no trifling labor, and consume a very considerable amount of time. It must embrace the condition in which those

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