Arkansas true Democrat., 1862-05-29
The Oath of AlIegiance.

There may be some parties in the South, who are
 preparing in case their homes are invaded by the enemy to take the oath of allegiance to the United States for the purpose of securing their property from moestation, they protesting to believe that such an oath is not binding upon them, and that when the enemy retires they have perfect right to Iepudiate the obligation they have taken, and
 that they will in future occupy the position oi cltl- zens of the Confederate States There are men who profess to think that such an oath of allegl- ance will be no more binding upon them than the oath by foreign born citizen of the Confederacy, taken previous to secession It is true the oath Tn both eases is voluntary, but the circumstances un- der which it is taken very different, and those who would place the two oaths on an equality sin ply display their ignorance of the fundamental principles ot the government.
 Before the dissolution of the union the foreign CT who became a citizen of the United States, and took an oath to support the constitution, became also by virtue of his residence in any State, citizen of that State, and if there is anything Ill the doctrine of State sovereignty, the allegiance he owed to the State was paramount to all others So long therefore he remained a citizen of the State in which he resided, that State alone had the power to absolye him from his oath Ot allegiance to the constitution of the United States. In the case of the Confederate States, each State acting as a sovereign has withdrawn from the Union, and has abs0lycd its citizens, whether native or foreign born from all obligation to the United States Those. therefore who have taken such an oath are now neither legally nor morally bound to observeit 1t. They are as free from its operation though they had never taken 1t.
 The case of those who are base enough, under the circumstances we have previously mentioned, to take the oath of allegiance to the Yankee gov ernment. is altogether different. Any at the South who swears to support the Lincoln govern ment, by that act eXpatrIatGs himself, and becomes an alien and all enemy to the Confectionery. He voluntarily transfers his allegiance foreign and hostile government, and q matter of course re- nounces his allegiance to the State and C0nfedera- cy in which he lives Consequently in the future he will occupy a position similar to that of other citizens of the Yankee States, and can never be- come citizen of the Confederate States unless through tue operation of the naturalization laws.- The government would have the power to allow the recusant citizens to resume their allegance but we do not f leye such measure would be sanctioned by the people of the South. The men who desert their country in her hour of peril and place themselves ill the position of alien enemies, merely ior the purpose of securing their own per sonaI ease aud comfort, will receive no other treatment from the people of the South, than that usually accorded to enemies and traitor s. Should any of them venture outside the protection of their Yankee friends, or remain behind after the inva- ders depart, they will very likely find that the steel and cord in the hands of southern men quite effective instruments in the disposition of trai- tors .-N0nqOnery idoertiSer.