The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-10-28

against the government OF the I nlteO SIates
that sincerely rejoice in the triumph of the
armies and naves of the United States, and IN
the defeat and overthrow OF the armies, navles
and all armed combinations in the interests OF
the sO-called Confederate States; ES'that
will cordially oppose all armistices or negotia-
tons for peace with rebels in arms, untli the
Constitution of the United States and all laws
and proclamations made in pursuance thereOf,
shall be established over all the people OF every
State and Terri orv embraced within the Ma
tional Union. 81 and that will heartily aid
and assist the loyal people IN Whatever meas
ures may be adopted for the attainment of
those ends; and further, that | take this oath
freely and voluntarily and without mental res
eryaton So help me God"
A citizen, qualified to vote, and whose LOYAL
ty cannot be "disproved by other testimony"
is to be required to swear, that he will hence
forth support the Constitution OF the United
States, and defend it against all enemies" This
obligation we are willing to renew every day.
But this is not yet deemed sufficient test of
ovalty. He is required to make oath and sub.
cribe to mass OF vain repetitions concerning
his activity as friend of the Union and the
enemy OF its enemies-cOncerning his desires,
his hopes and his fears, and that be finds it in
his heart to rejoice over the scenes of blood,
and OF wounds. of anguish and death, wherein
his friends, his kindred. his loved ones are
slain, or manned, or made prisoners of war
whereby the land of his birth or adoption, is
made desolate, and lamentation and mourning
are spread over the whole nation. While all
the civilized world stands aghast in cOntempla-
ion of the unequaled horrors of our trelnen-
dous strife, the citizen Of Tennessee is called
upon by her military governor, under your au-
thOrity, to swear that in these things he finds
occasion to rejoice! As if this were still not
enough, the citizen is further required to swear
to the indefinite prolOngation of this war as
follows:
THAT will cordially oppose all armistices
or negotiations for peace cith rebels in arms, until
the Constitution Of the United States, and all
laws and proclamations made in pursuance
thereof shall be established over all the people
of every State and Territory embraced within
the National Union; until Gin BRIEF the war
shall be at an end. Now, we freely avow to
your eXcellency, aud to the world, that we
earnestly d ire the return of peace and good
will to our nbappy country-that we seek
neither pl re, profit, nor honor in the per-
petuation the war-that we should feel
bound ast stians, as patriots and as civilized
men-that are bound by the oaths we have
taken-tO cOuntenance and encourage any ne
gotions which may be entered into by the pro-
per authorities with the intent to restore peace
and union under the Constitution we have
sworn to support and defend. We should be
traitorous to our country, false to our oaths-
false, indeed. to the primary clause of the oath
We are now discussing to oppose such nego-
tiations. We cannot consent to swear at the
ballOt-boX war of determination against our
countrymen and kindred, or to prolong by our
opposition, for single day after it can be
brought to an honorable and lawful cOnclu-
sion, contest the most SaDgulnary and ruin
Gus that has scourged mankind.
You will not have forgotten. that in the
month Of July last, You issued the following
proclamation:
EXECUTIVE MANSION,
WASHINGTON, July IS.
To ph0m Il may concern:
Any proposition which embraces the restora-
ton of peace, the integrity of the whole Union.
and tie abandonment Of aatery, md which comes
By and ,ciM an authority that can control the ar
n1teS at ,cdr dgdinst the United States arU be
receired and considered by the eaecutire gocern-
ment of the United States, and will be met by
liberal terms on other substantial and collat-
eral points, and the bearer or bearers thereof
shall have safe conveyance both wavs
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
This is certainly proposition to treat with
rebels tn arms-with their chiefs. Are we now
10 understand by this proclamation of one act
ing under your authority, and himself cam
didate with YOU for the second Office, that even
the above proposition is withdrawn-that you
will henceforth have no negotiations upon any
terms, but unrelenting war to the bitter end?
Or are We to understand. that while you hod
this proposition open. or yourself free to act
as your judgment may dictate, we, the citizens
Of Tennessee, shall SdeGr to OPPOSE your negO-
tiations? In the next breath the voter who
has already been thus far qualified, is required
to swear that he will heartily aid and assist
the loyal people IN achdterer measures may be
aeloDted fer the attainment of these ends"
Adopted by whom? The oath does not say.
We cannot tell what measures may be adopted.
We cannot comment upon the absurdity of the
obligation here imposed, without danger of
departing from that respectful propriety of Ian
Cuage which we desire to preserve in address
ing the chief magistrate of the American peO-
pie. But this is a clause of an oath which the
candidate for the Vice Presidency requires at
the lips of the loyal and qualified voters of Ten.
nessee, before those citizens shall be allowed
to vote for or against you and himself at the
coming election!
For these reasons, and Others which for the
sake of brevity we omit, we sOlemly protest
against the interference of the military gov
ernor with the freedom of the elective fran
chise in Tennessee. We deny his authority
and yours, to alter amend, or annul, any law
OF Tennessee. We demand that Tennessee be
allowed to adpont her electors as expressly
provided by the Federal Constitution, which
you have sworn to support, protect, and de-
fend, in the manner which the legislature there
of has prescribed. And to that end we res.
pectfully demand of you, as the principal under
whose authority this order has been issued,
mat the same snail be revoked. We ask that
all military interference shall be withdrawn so
far as to allow to the loyal men of Tennessee a
full and free election. By the loyal men of
Tennessee we mean those who have not parti-
cipated in the rebellion, or given it aid and
comfort; or who may have complied with such
terms of amnesty as have been offered them
under your authority.
On the Sth day of December, 1868, you. as
President, issued o proclamation. declaring
that full pardon is hereby granted" with the
restoration of all rights Of property" &C.. to
each of our citizens having participated di.
rectly or 10y implication in the existing rebcll-
ion with certain exceptions) upon the con
dition that every such person shall take and
subscribe an oath, and thenceforward keep and
maintain said oath inviOlate." And it is further
provided in the proclamation aforesaid that in
the contingency of reorganization of State
government in Tennessee, or certain other
States named, the persons having taken the
oath referred to, and being otherwise qualified
by the election law of the State, shall be enti-
tied to vote. The undersigned would state
that many Of our citizens have complied in
good faith with the terms of amnesty proposes
in your proclamation aforesaid and are, there
fore, by reason of the full pardon grained
them, fully entitled to vote and exercise al;
other rights belonging to loyal citizens with
out let or hipdrance: and we respectfully APP
neal to YOU. as President of tba 4 StatCS