The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1864-02-10
From the Colombia CTsnn.l Sentinel
The TTuv. n.eRe

Upon the street, and also in the ooun-
try much is said in reference to the
oaihs prescribed By President Lincoln
and Gov. johnson. When the Legisla-
ture of Tennessee asked the people to
vote the State ont of The Union. nc diai /.
culies lay in the way; no scruples Of
conscience were felt; but when an oath
is required Of those who have trAnsgress-
ed, if they wish to enjoy the privileges
and blessings of civil Government which
by their vote they have helped TO de-
stroy, it is not to be borne. If the terms
of restoration are to suit the whims Of
every one who has aided in our destruc-
ton, it viii be long before peace is re-
stored.
In 1861, the halter was the suitable
prescription for the man who dared to
vote against separation; but an intima-
ton of such thing now in reference to
him who refuses pardon and stands aloOf
from restoration, would be cruelty IN he
eJtrsmel How times have changed Al
though in '6l Punishment and halterS
were freely spoken OF, for certain class
OF citizens, yet, nov, in "a, public acts
of men in authority can be rejected, and
this is thought to be q privilege guaran-
teed by the Constitution. As the oaths
above alluded to, are now the general top
&c Of conversation, l will venture with
others to express my opinion with re-
gard to them.
understand President Lincoln to offer
pardon to all transgressors of a certain
class, if they will take an Oath of Ale
glance to the United States Government
the form of which he describes; by TAX
ing this oath they shall be restored to
citizenship in the same, and freed from
3 prosecution for treason in future. Now
if l have directly or By implication
participated in the existing rebellion"
even SO far IS on the 8th Of June, 1861,
to vote for separation, (Which by some
is thought to be very small partieips-
tom, then, in my opinion, I need the
pardon alluded to, and consequently
should take Mr.. LincOln's Oath by which
1 am set back where I stood before the
separation, so far as citizenship in the
United States is concerned. But if have
not even voted for separation, then 1 am
q rebel only from association, and being
found in bad company, an oath Of alle-
glance to the United States Government
may be required of me when l wish to
exercise any privilege as q citizen Of the
State Of Tennessee. This oath Lunder-
stand Gov. johnson prescribes. If l de-
sire the Restoration Of Civil Government
in Tennessee, 1 think it is idle in me TO
parley about the right of this or that man
to prescribe an oath or even the form OF
an oath. If have violated the law, |
must promise 10 violate it no more, and
il this promise is required in the form
Of an oath, il is ny business 20 submit,
and after all is said that can be about
these oaths, I understand them J0b sim
ply to mean Allegiance to the Government
under which I was born, and the bless
ings of which enjoyed until deprived
of the same by the rebellion, and the
promise to "abide by and faithfully sup
port all acts of Congress, &c, is simply
TO obey the laws as heretofore, while
they are unrepealed. 1t is not my priv
ilege TO determine the Conslitutionality
of the acts of Congress or the PrOeiAma-
tons of the President; there is . legal
tribunal to decide this question. f.