Shreveport news. [volume] (Shreveport [La.]) 1864-1865, 1865-02-14
Taking the Oath.

The Legislature adjourned ''"e de
on Saturday the 4.h inst. after .
short session Of twenty days. The
acts passed at this session will make
respectfully sized volume. and GER
tainly show that the members got
through with a great deal Of work
though opinions will vary as to the
necessity. propriety and policy Of
many Of tn. bills which have become
laws.
by far the most important act Of the
session. in our opinion. is the act re-
pealing the law which required all
voters and State officers. to tax an
oath that they had not sworn ale
glance to the United States of Ameri-
ca since tn. adoption Of the ordinance
Of secession in 1861. As the Law
now stands. those persons. who. on
the approach Of the Yankees. showed
their weakness or their disaffestion,
by fastening forward to take Abe
Lincoln's "iron clad" stand on an
equal footing with the good and un-
yielding citizens of this State. I he
patriotic planter. merchant or profess
sional man, who quit his home End
gaveup his wealth, under Il sense Of the
sacred duty he owed to his country.
and, rather than acknowledge the
validity and legality Of m unprinci
Piled government. which the enemy
sough, to impos. on him. tore him
self away from friends and all, to go
forth prnniless, but true. among
strangers, will now have cause TO re-
greet tina, he was so hasty in doing
his duty. Looking back at the -x
ample of his n-ishbors who staid at
home. and swallowed the unholy oath,
he will ask, what have l gained by
the moral support ! sought to give
our cause VIVA, can hi. answer
be. save the one word. nothinsl For
the oath-taker. by the &C, OF thu. Leg
islature. stands to-day in as high
position. r-la,iv. to his political
status. As himself. The soldier. who.
three or four years ago. hurried a.
volunteer. from the Parish of ST.
James or Assumption to join the
s.rried ranks OF the gallant and chiv-
alrous SouthrcT.s. that first marched
to meet the invader. will ask what he
has gained by his nobl. course. and
receive the same answer. The ruin
Of his home, or its dissertation to the
profit of the infamous enemy, will
rise up before him. along side with
the recent action Of tn. Legislature.
to reproach him with his .1c.s- Of
zeal and enthusiasm.
But it isnot only on account Of the
injustice it works e. pos, tacto TO the
martyr citizen or the gallant volun-
teer. that We feel called upon to con
denim the action Of tn. General As
sernbly. on this subject. We consid-
er it a measur. of most pernicious
policy, in its relation 10 the future
Should it be tn. fate of war for our
State to be overrun once more BY the
enemy's lrsions, they have removed
the last restraint which tended TO
check the detection of the timid. wav-
ering or avaricious. knowing that
they lose mono Of the civil rights TO
which every American clings with
more or less intensity. what is TO pre-
vent them from giving in a speedy
adhesion to the foe 7 The demoral-
izing effect Of such a course. is too
apparent for argument.
But the friends Of the change
which has been made in the law.
urge. with great earnestness, the
hardship which the old law inflicted
on large class of our fellow citizens,
whom til. force of circumstances com
PEELED to take the oath. They say
the hearts of these people are as true
to the Southern cause, as the needle
to the polar star. Nor do We doubt
it. But why change general law.
based on the first principles of inter
national law. to work special relief
Hardships occur from the operation
of all our civil laws, and courts of
equity are provided to deal out re-
dress in such exceptional ca.es=