Report of the
Committee.

order to get rid of the Constitutional obligations
and to aid the government and weaken the other
party to the war, the Government determined to
abolish slavery. It was admitted at the time that
this could only be done legally and effectually, by
an amendment of the Constitution, upon the sur-
render of their armies, the people of each State ac-
cepted the proposition of the President and Com-
mander-in-Chief, as the basis of organizing their
State Government in accordance with the results
of the war; and in order to the performance of their
Federal obligations, the State Governments were
established by the people in each State, and these
Governments, and the Constitution and laws of
the United States; were recognized in every way
by the people of each State as obligatory upon
every person within their limits. The State Leg-
islatures, under their Constitutions, ratified the
Constitutional Amendment abolishing slavery.—
The Executive Department no proclaimed, and
Congress acquiesced, and the amendment thus be-
came a part of the Constitution of the United States,
each State duly elected its Senators and Represen-
tatives to Congress, the compliance with which
Federal obligations by any of the insurgent States
by the first of January, eighteen hundred and six-
ty-three. Mr. Lincoln by his proclamation of Sep-
tember, eighteen hundred and sixty-two, had de-
clared, should, in the absence of strong counter-
vailing proof, be deemed conclusive evidence that
such State, and the people thereof, were no longer
in rebellion, upon the assembling of Congress in
December, eighteen hundred and sixty-five, those
Senators and .Representatives presented their cre-
dentials, and were ready to take their seats, but
were refused admission, this refusal was not based
on any objections to the elections, returns and
qualifications of the Southern Senators and Repre-
sentatives, of which, by the Constitution, each
House shall be the Judge, but the two Houses ap-
pointed a joint Committee on Reconstruction,
charged to inquire into the condition of the States
which had formed the so-called Confederate States
of America, and to report whether they or any of
them, are entitled to be represented in either
House of Congress. On the thirtieth of April
eighteen hundred and sixty-six, the Committee ie'.