Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1864-09-02

distance all the bigger villains. He
wades into the oath prescribed by the
Governor, for the government of our
militia. He wildly and falsely asserts
that "Baker has no more right to re-
quire any kind of an oath of militia
officers than he has to swear at the bal
lot box that they will vote for Mr. Lin
coln." Now every person with thim-
BILE full of brains knows that a military
! officer is bound to do certain acts, under
certain circumstances, and that it is just
as essential that he should be bound by
an oath, as that township constable
should be so bound. The militia Law of
this State makes no specific provision
for the administration of oaths, but it
does provide as follows:
SEC. 1. 1t is hereby made the duty of
the Governor to cause the Militia of the
State to be organized into companies,
and he Is hereby rested Nth full pO,oer
and authority to make all necessary or
ders, rules and regulations for the first
enrolment of the Militia, and carrying
out the provisions of this act.
Under this section the Governor has
full power and authority to prescribe
what, if any, oath shall be required.
He has done so, through his Adjutant
| General.
And now, as to the propriety OF this
oath. The law requires the distribution
of arms, to organize companies, &c.
Suppose fifty rebels should make their
escape from therebel prisons at Chicago,
Rock Island and other places, land near
this place and hire out, perhaps to cut
timber. They form secret commune
! ~, and under our law organize Il COM
pany for the purpose of securing arms,
with which to cross into Missouri
Stranger things have happened. Does
any man believe that the Governor
would do right to issue arms to such
persons? Suppose on the other hand, Il
body of fifty men in Wapello county,
who are opposed to further prosecution
| of this war, and believe that the govern
ment is destroying the rights of the
South, should organize a company. The
law provides that the Governor, in case
of alori0, is1s,,rrection, inr0siOn, or arol',
shall order out the Militia; and that in
case of sudden invasion or instruction
and when the life, liberty or property OF
the inhabitants of the State are in dan
ger. the commanders of companies, &c,
shall call out their respective commands.
Suppose body of guerrillas from Mis-
souri, should invade Wapelio county,
and the commander Of the COMPANY on
| the border. tinctured with rebel procliv-
| tiles. neglected or refused to call out his
command. Every loyal man i'll The
State would be hurting oaths at the Coy
ernor for commissioning such fellow.
The Militia is organized only for the
| maintenance Of law and order, and the
protection of the lives, liberty and prop
erty of the people. The Governor, there
| fore, who should commission and arm
a body of men, who were known TO be
violators of law and defers of authority
ought to be kicked out of office.
| We have on our statute books u law
| for drafting men into the military ser
| vice of the Government. That law has
been resisted, blood has flown, and lives
| been sacrificed. There are men in all
parts of the country who are now threat
ening to resist the execution ofthat law
on the 5th of september. There are 9th
ers. among them the Courier editor, who
are counselling and praying the people
to resist the law. Would il be acting
the part Of Il wise man for Gov. Stone
| to commission man as Captain who
| would be on the side of the insurgents
| in case Of an Instruction. and who had
Gov. Stone prove himself 3 knave or a
| fool, to issue the munitions Of war to
men who are sworn to resist the eXecu=
ton of the laws? There is great pro-
priety then in the Governor requiring
! the oath referred to. from each officer to
| be commissioned That oath requires
the officer to . support the Federal and
State Constitutions 10 obey all orders
Co!lillio lIoiu tiie 'oNc1Hots anu tIS
commands and orders of his superior
officers 10 swear that he does not be-
long TO any organization, which has for
its object opposition 20 the present war
against the States in rebellion, or oppO-
sition to the Federal Administration, in
its efforts to prosecute said war, and that
he has no sympathy whatever with
those in rebellion
What is there wrong in these require
ments" Is there anything in this oath
that Il loyal man canno! subscribe 10:
But, says the Courier, here's what we
can t and Wont swear, {" that my desire
is to see said war prosecuted with vigor
until the rebellion is crushed and an
honorable peace is restored, and to this
end L will faithfully exert my influence,
and endeavor tosustain thosein power"
No, by the eternal God never, never,
never, says Mr.. Thayer, the little vii
lain. Stop moment, and tell us why
| not. Do you not desire to see the rebel
lion crushed: Do you desire anything
but an honorable peace? If yes to the
first, and no, to the second interroga-
tory, be your response, then we ask if
you will not faithfully exert your infiu-
ence and sustain those in power, to Sc
cure those ends: Again we ask, what
there,is in this oath that loyal man
| can object TO? No man is required to
endorse Mr.. Lincoln's Administration,
but to sustain it in its efforts to crush
the rebellion and restore an honorable
peace. Let no man have State mus
ket who cannot sWear-YES.
Our Sanitary Fair.
Two weeks more of effort and labor,
and what are you doing, people of Cen
trail Iowa? The treasurer of the North
ern Fair held at Dubuque last week for
| ,:d6sd tl6a Ste.,a