her rebels of scarcely less note or
notoriety were selected from other quarters. Professing no
repentance, glorying apparently in the crime they had
committed, avowing still, as the uncontradicted testimony of
Mr. Stephens and many others proves, an adherence to the
pernicious doctrines of secession, and declaring that they
yielded only to necessity, they insist with unanimous voice
upon their rights as States, and proclaim they will submit
to no conditions whatever preliminary to their resumption of
power under that Constitution which they still claim the
right to repudiate."

Finally the report thus presented the "conclusion of the committee:"

"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, shall place
representation on an equitable basis, shall fix a stigma
upon treason, and protect the loyal people against future
claims for the expenses incurred in support of rebellion and
for manumitted slaves, together with an express grant of
power in Congress to enforce these provisions. To this end
they have offered a joint resolution for amending the
Constitution of the United States, and two several bills
designed to carry the same into effect."

The passage of the Constitutional Amendment by more than the necessary
majority has been related. One of the bills to which reference is made
in the above report--declaring certain officials of the so-called
Confederate States ineligible to any office under the Government of
the United States--was placed in the amendment in lieu of the
disfranchising clause. The other bill provided for "the restoration of
the States lately in insurrection to their full rights" so soon as
they should have ratified the proposed amendment. This bill was
defeated in the House by a vote of 75 to 48. Congress thus refused to
pledge itself in advance to make the amendment the sole test of the
reaedmission of rebel States. Congress, however, clearly indicated a
disposition to restore those States "at the earliest day consistent
with the future