Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1853-07-30
Horace MaDn-The Oath Of Office.
WARREN, Joe Davies Co, ILL.,, !
July 10th, 1853.


DEAR MARUs: am glad that Horace
Mann at last has defined his views Of the
Constitution, so that any one who reads can
understand. And although he has but re-
peated the old sayings of Goodell, Spooner,
and Others which have all been answered
ever so many times, by Garrison, Phillips,
and others, yet it brings the subject before
the public fresh for discussion.
believe that Mr.. Mann in attempting to
Justify free soilers and other anti.slavery
men ia tnking Office, who believe that the
Constitution, in some parts is pro-slavery, or
requires somebody at some time, to do pro-
slavery or wicked acts, follows in the wake
of Bailey, Gddings and others, who have
written before him, by contineing the sup
port of the Constitution, to the particular
public acts of their office, during the term
of holding TINT particular Office. AS to the
time, think they are right; but in the other
part, think they are wrong. You have
observed that the oath consists of two parts.
Que is the "oath of Office" which binds the
person to perform the duties Of his Office,
according to law, aud the best of his abili-
ties. Tie other is the oath to "support the
Constitution of the United States" The
first secures The support of the Constitution
IN all his official nets, the other something
more or besides, else il is an unmeaning
ceremony. Tie Constitution provided thut
the President "before" entering "on the ex-
ecution of his office" "shall take the follow
ing oath or affirmation":-
al do solemnly swear Tor aflirin,) that
| will faithfully execute the office OF Presi-
dent OF these United States"
That secures the performance of all his
official duties, according TO the Constitution,
which is the supreme law of the land, and
expresses the duties of the President, but
the oath does not stop here, but snys, "and
will to the best Of my ability, preserve, pro-
tect, aud defend the Constitution of the
United States." Now the Constitution Is
made up of many parts, aud n promise to
preserve, protect, and defend tho Constitl-
tion, is u promise TO preserve, protect, and
defend all the parts that form il; the pro-
slavery parts rs much as the anti-slavery,
aud to oppose thing is not the same as to
"preserve, protect, aud defend" il. And il
he "preserve protect aud defend" it, 80 the
hest of his ability" he will have no ability
left to oppose it with.
Article 9th says that "The Senators and
Representatives before mentioned, aud the
members of the several State Legislatures,
and all executive aud judicial officers, botl
of the United States and of the several
States shall he bound by an oath or affirlna
lion, to support the Constitution. Therefore
every State Constitution Il believe,) has 1
provision, securing an oath to support the
Constitution of the United Stntes, besides nj
oath of office. The Constitution of OhiC
reads thus. Art. 7lh, Sec. lst.
"Every person who shall he chosen o.
appointed to any Office of trust or profit
under the authority of this State, shall belor,
the entering on the execution, take an oatl
or affirmation, to support the Constitution o
the United States, aud the Constitution O
this State, and also an oath of Office"
Now believe that our keeping up clea
distinction between the oath Of office, an,
the oath to support the Constitution, and tn
free soiers confoupding the two, is the prin
cipal cause of arriving at different conclu
sons. They confine their support of III
Constitution, TO their official acts. We in
clude our whole influence.
MIR. Mann gives curious reason for III
practice of the government being pro-slave
ry for more than sixty years. Hear him: nfie
attempting TO prove TINT the trainers of III
Constitution intended TO make a strong anti
slavery Constitution, and did in fhct, max
one wholly anti-slavery; but in order :
please "two or three states, the ten or eleye
states consented to ambiguous language,
and the government commenced their pro
slavery practice, and have continued II eve
since, under this complete anti-slayery cons
titution. But will quote his own words.
"Ths then was the dilemma TO be me
The fact of practical slavery was to be rec
onciled with the universal right to freedom
To accomplish this, the expedient was hi
upon, of adopting a phraseology for th
constitution, under which the slave-holde
might claim to continue in the possession {