Report of the
Committee.

evidence whatever of repentance for their crime,
and expressing no regret except that they had no
longer the power to continue the desperate strug-
gle. The Committee then conclude that the war
thus waged was a civil war of the greatest magni-
tude, and that by the law of nations, one of the
consequences was, that within the limits prescribed
by humanity, the conquered rebels were at the
mercy of the conquerors.
They say the testimony is conclusive that after
the collapse of the Confederacy, the feeling of the
people of the rebellious States was that of abject
submission. Having appealed to the tribunal of
arms, they had no hope, except that by the mag-
nanimity of their conquerors, their lives, and pos-
sibly their property, might be preserved. But the
Committee found evidence of a great and sudden
change in the feelings of those people. They say
the general issue of pardons to persons who had
been prominent in the rebellion and the feeling of
kindness and conciliation manifested by the execu-
tive, and very generally indicated through the
Northern press, had the effect to render whole
communities forgetful of the crime they had com-
mitted, defiant towards the general Government,
and regardless of their duties as citizens. The
conciliatory measures of the Government do not
seem to have been met even half way. The bitter-
ness and defiance exhibited towards the United
States, is without a parallel in the history of the
world. In return for our leniency, we receive only
an insulting denial of our authority. In return
for our kind desire for the resumption of fraternal
relations, we receive only an insolent assump-
tion of rights and privileges, long since forfeited.
The conclusion of the Committee, therefore, is,
that the so-called Confederate States are not, at
present, entitled to representation in the Congress
of the United States; that before allowing such
representation, adequate security for future peace
and safety should be required : that this can only
be found in such changes of the organic law as
shall determine the civil rights and privileges of
all citizens, in all parts of the republic, and place
representation on an equitable basis, shall fix a
stigma on treason, and protect loyal people against