The Iowa transcript. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1858-1866, 1863-01-22
ID. 1. Mal,Oney.

~ ~ NsNHvhAtys
sI4;nkensale' the Washington cores
pendent Of the Mnsca,ine journal
shows how the order giving d.. A.
Mahoncy and y. Steward an honorable
discharge came 10 be issued, and how
it transpired that they took the oath
not to insti,u,e complaints against their
accnsers. TO show these things up
clearly he rrocurts letter from Judge
Advocate Turner, before whom all pc.
li,ical prisoners at Washington were
arraigned.
The Judge in his letter says that on
or about the 26th oflast Sept. Mahoney,
Steward and number Of others were
brought before him with the view of
discharging them if their examination
should prove satisfactory: that Ma.
honey and Steward refused to take the
oath Internationally, and for that rea-
son were not released and were so in
formed.
Afterwards, Jadge Mason (of this
State) as he was informed, he says ad
vised them to take the unconditional
oath to support the government, and
about tho 10th Of Nov. they signiied
to him their Willingness to do so. About
this time be was informed that certain
Of their kindred spirits in Illinois, who
had been released upon giving heavy
bonds, were instig ,ting suits against
their accusers and defering public
officers from executing the laws.
We will now give the closing part Of
Judge Turner'S letter.
"As the pei sons who were thus acting
were the associates Of Mallory and
Steward, while at the Old Capitol Pri-
son, ard from the same section Of
country, ! deemed it best to defer re-
leasing them until further consideration ]:
and Informed Judge Mason, and the
superintendent thereof, Of the cause of
dcfering it.
This was communicated to Mahonev
and Steward by some one, az the same
day they sent word to me that they
would not only take the oath uncondi.
tionally, but that they desired to make
an oath that they would not annoy and
harrass public officers by VACATIONS
suits as Green, O'Dell and Mehaffy had
done.
An oath was accordingly prepared
by me according to their request, and
sent to them for their approval. The
next morning they came to my office
with the Superintendent, say,rg they
had examined the oath "a drawn up by
me a, their request, and that it was as
they desired. They then subscribed
and swore to the same, together with
Messrs. Mulkey and Duff.
/ asked them if either was member
Of The Knights Of the Golden Circle or
other secret association, the object be-
ing to resist the draft collection of taxes
&C., and oaths administered, and penal
" death. Each one declared that he
was not. l then asked them if they
we're willing to make oath to it, and
all said yes. I accordingly drew such
an oath ard they al signed and made
oath to it. say, therefore, tina. the
cath Of allegiance, with the clause, NOT to
commence suits, was inserted at their
request, and upon their application to
me to have the clause inserted.
1t is the only oath, with such clause
inserted, that I ever administered, and
this was bone at the request Of those
making the oath.
I gave the Superintendent the dis
charges for Mahony and Seward, with
Mulkey and O'Dell, in the usual form
in such cases; and tho words "honor-
ably discharged'' were not therein. ]
have the honor to be
Your obedient servant.
[Signed1 L. G. Turner,
Judge Advocate"
After the order from Judge Turner