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

of the so-called Confederate States that ar
IDENTIFY desire the suppression of the rebellion
against the government of the United States;
that sincerely rejoice in the triumph of the
armies and navies 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; E9-tnat
will cordially oppose all armistices or negotia-
tons for peace with 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 Terri DRY embraced wltnln the Ma
tional Union, 81 and that will heartily aid
and assist the loyal people IN Whatever meas.
those ends; and further, that l take this oath
freely and voluntarily and without mental res
ervation. So help me God"
A citizen, qualified to vote, and whose loyal
ty cannot he "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
oyalty. 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 Notwithstanding 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
Slam, 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 ali
the civilized world stands aghast in contempla.
ion OF the unequaled horrors of our tremen-
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 acith 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
the National Union; until Gin brieD the war
shall be at an end. Now, we freely avow to
your eXcellency, and to the world that we
earnestly d~sre the return of peace and good
will to our nhappy 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 a single day after it can be
brought to an honorable and lawful conclu-
sion, contest the most saDguinary 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 1875
To aehom 1t may concern:
Any proposition which embraces the restora-
ton of peace, the integrity of the whole Union,
and the abandonment Of slaeery, and uhich comes
ty and Nth an authority that can control the ar
mics noec at ,otr against the United States aviN be
receired and considered by the enecutire gorer,s-
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 WAYS.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
This is certainly proposition to treat with
rebels tn arms-with their chiefs. Are we now
to understand by this proclamation of one act
ing under your authority, and himself can.
didate with you for the second Office, that even
the above proposition is withdrawn-that you
terms, but unrelenting war to the bitter end?
Or are we to understand that while you ho.d
this proposition open, or yourself free to act
as your judgment may dictate, we, the citizens
of Tennessee, shall stDear 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 aohdterer measures MAY be
adopted for 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
guage which we desire to preserve 10 address
ing the chief magistrate Of the American peo-
pie But this is 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 adpoint 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,
that the same shall 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, 1863, you. as
President, issued q 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 by implication in the existing rebell-
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 a reorganization of State
government in Tennessee, or certain other
States named, the persons having taken the