The Chattanooga Daily Rebel. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1862-1864, 1862-09-26

CHATTANOOGA:
IglDDAY M0RMNG, SEPT &c, 1862
FORCED OATus.

II
Angus IS, 1852. IN which he says:
~ he oath d allegiance must not be ad-
.niFisiered to any person sgaiust his own
viii II must ID all cases be voluntary act
Oh Ella part Nor will any compulsory pa
role 81 honor be received but oaths taken
and paroles given to avoid arrest, detention,
imprisonment, or expulsion, are voluntary
OF free acts, and cannot be regarded sRconl-
pulsory. All persons guilty Of yislsting
such oaths or paroles will be punished ac-
cording TO the laws or usages Of war"
Gen. Halieck simply stultifcs himself in
issuing any such contradictory order. How
can an oath be voluntary when it is given
to avoid arrest, detention, imprisonment, or
expulsion To call oatbs given under such
circumstances voluntary isdownright foolish.
ness, and shows that the author had no idea
Of the force Of language or deliberately in
tended to practice deception. AS General
Halleck understands the force Of language,
we must conclude that it is an attempt at
deception too palpabIe to deceive any except
the most stupid and silly. Why gid he not
have the manliness to admit that the oaths
we're forced, and then Insist that he had the
right to extort oaths from the rebels as he
choose to call them This would at least
have had the merit Of consistency aud not
have made his Government justly liable to
the=charge Of meanness and stupidity as well
ss tyrapny All oaths Of allegiance or mil.
i.ory pagolcs obtained under the circumstan-
css mentioned by Gen. Halleck, are clearly
involuntary and forced and will not be held
BY our Gcvurumcntas binding. The North
srn Government had no right to require such
oaths Of our citizens, anymore than the Brit
lsh Government would haze q right, in case
Of warbeswcen the Lincoln Govcrnmcntapd
itself, 10 cxtwt an oath Of allegiance from a
citizen Of the Northern States. The oaihs
were administered by those who had no
right to 10 so, under the authority OF a
Government that had no right to exact
Them and aye so5ssS acudy Of no binding
force ii lag o. morals, aud must serve ~
briugupon the Government aud It's officers
astempnngio enforce them the scorn Snd
couienpt 81 all right-minded men. We
hope oisg government will not attempt to
require private citizens totake baths Of al
lsgiaucc Officers Of the Government
should bercquirca to take the oath Of office.
This woula be purely voluntary, and Of
tousSe binding; but any other oaths would
Be worse than useless The men who take
them do NOT consider themselves hound to
observe them, and will. Of course, disregard
tbepton the first opportunity. II men have
acted il such manner az to be dangerous
citizens let them either be punished ac-
cofdiug to law or sent or Wherever oaths
have been voluntarily taken by any Of our
ni.igens othe Lincoln Government, or aid,
either by word or action, has been given
shas Government, then the case is very diff
Efcnt What should be done with such Il
4 very dclicatequestion and one thatshould
he seriously considered Our own opinion
il That they should be required TO leave thu
Confederate States and take UP their resi-.
aenee with their friends in the North They
have chosen their friends, aud now let them
take The consequences Of their choice
Some think their property should he eonGs
Gated, also, but we would be willing to lei
Athem 80 and take their property with them
tEIugh TINT is much more generous than
they have been willing TO treat us, and il
goihc ID the extreme Of charity and for
giseucss To permit men who have shown
themselves ID our darkest hour to be on .hs
side Of Ollraenemy, aiding, assisting AND
couuscling with them, TO remain among Us
aud enjoy Az che privileges enjoyed BY
true SOuihcsK men would be to weaken oul
cause, aud nonrish in our bosom yipers thai
would siihNApp at the earliest opportunity
This ID the cafe even as to private ind
vidnala but it becomes much stronger wheI
these men hold Offices in our State. They
arr belvSing double trust--that Of citi
sens aud q repositories Of public trust
BY uVn'esus lot any man hold an Office II
Tcunessee whose position Is doubtful. Oai
honor ayd safety demand this course,
-.s-@--..---------
a.n Pfjlssrr or fiop NM. 3. Asnr. = Hon. VIM. s
Asha died on Sunday night last. ia. Wmng
toni. Tie wounds received from the collision