Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1865-07-13
APPOINTING REBELS TO OFFICE.

1t is said that President Johnson has de-
clared his intention of appointing no man
to Office in the Southern States who has
been an open rebel, and taken any part
with the bogus confederacy in opposing
the Government We hold this to be per-
fectly correct. and think the duty of the
President on the subject was so plain, that
it needed no public announcement. There
is besides a law of Congress which makes
it impossible for any rebel t. hold an office,
no matter whether elected or appointed by
the President Its discovery recently has
given rise to much speculation concerning
some of the appointments, if not all, made
by the President in the South under his re
construction policy. The law runs thus
Be it enacted, &c, that hereafter every person
elected or appointed to any office of honor or profit
under the Government of the United States, either
in the civil military or naval departments OF the
public service except the President of the United
States, shall before entering upon The duties OF such
office aud before being entitled to the Sdtary or 0te
en.ol,aets thereof take and subscribe the following
oath affirmation
do solemnly swear (or afirm) that
have never voluntarily borne arms against the
United States since L have been citizen thereof ;
that have voluntarily given no aid, countenance,
counsel or encouragement to persons engaged III
armed hostility thereto that have neither sought
nor accepted attempted to exercise the functions Of
q,,y Office lrLotere under dy authority pretended
dt.ttority II, h0StiitytO the United States; that have
not yielded voluntary support to any pretended
government authority, power constitution with
in the United States, hostile nimical thereto.
And do further tor atfirm), that to the best
of my knowledge and ability, l will support and
defend the Constitution of the United States
against all enemies foreign and domestic, that l
will bear true faith and allegiance to the sae that
take this objection freely, without any mental
reservation or purpose of evasion. SO help me
God.
And any person who shall falsely take the said
oath shall be guilty of perjury and on conviction,
in addition to the other penalties now prescribed
for that otfense shall be deprived of his office and
rendered incapable forever after of holding any Of
fee or place under the United States
Approved July 2, 1862.
Under this law, Mr. Holden of North
Carolina, and Judge Parsons Of Alabama,
lately appointed Provisional Governors OF
their respective States, as well as the ma
jority of the men appointed to office in the
south, are disqualified to serve The law
is right too, and must be respected. 1t
was enacted for the public good, and the
public good it will subserve if obeyed. 1t
has already been suggested, in order to
obvate the effect of this law, that as Pro-
visional Governors are unknown to the
law, there appointees can still hold on,
procided, they draw no pay for services !;
but this would be clear evasion of the
law, and not justiiable on any ground
whatever The discovery has produced a
dead lock in southern appointments, and
we are glad of it, if nothing else can him
der the appointment to places of trust of
men, who have aided to destroy this gov
ernment. We look upon this as a gross
outrage to the nation, and we rejoice that
| there is law to hinder it,