The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1866-05-25

mel anu tnc tongue OF NlCcfO | SNONll ne
unable to describe the iudcsorbable emo
tion from slavery tn citizenship.
That bjll too, did not find favor at the
other end of the avenue. That was uislor.
tuno lumber two. Il it we've proper Cor
me, | would stop right hero and do what
would be irregulor--puy u passing compli
ment to the 6rmuess with which that occa-
sion was met. Were ! not member Of
this body | shoull do Sn As it is, will
simply say that Ovor and above the presi
dents objection t.e Civil Rights Bill was
carried, and there never had been such re-
ioicings in this nation since the morning
star shouted for i,y, II was the resurrec
ton aud the life to four millions of people
Ii was a noble, manly vindica'iun tf the in
tegrity aud fixed purpose OF this nation. II
spoke freedom, not only to the mil,ioGs horc
but to tho duwu.roldcn and oppressed
abroad. That bill is a law, and, thanks to
Almighty God there is no pOwor now to
recall it, twill stand an everlasting monu
lneut to the integrity of Congress, When
the historian shall wlitc the proudest vic.
tory ot this war, the manly hearing and
perseverance, and determination oi Congress
in passing the Civil Rights Bill will share
the most prominent page. hailed it then
"a an announcement to the world of the
fixed purpose OF the American Congress.
For that act tho distinguished Senator
from Kentucky Mr.. Davis made those
uttcrauces which wuro suppressed Ia the
Globe. in which he said that II no were
President he would have this Congress out
and another in. Sir this Congress will not
go out until il goes out 10y the limitation of
the term OF it's existence, and then in every
case probably, save my own those who
have been truo and faithful will receive
| from grateful constituency The iudorse-
meut, "Woll done, goo1 aud faithful ser.
| want"
There is something wrong, and am
! looking for it. think | hud it in his
Washington's birthday speech. ltis proper
! for me to say that during these struggles,
when the earth was hoaving under onr
! feet, and nothing but the roar Of the can
non, the rnttling OF the drum, and the fash
of steel was seen aud heard all around us,
Congress in it's wisdom saw fit to pass
law prescribing an oath to guard against
the return of red handed rebels tits known
as the test oath. My friend from Wisconsin
labored hard to show that the policy of the
present PRECEDENT was the policy of his
predecessor. SIR, Mr.. Lincoln hcartily ap-
proved of that oath he signed the bill
proscribit g il aud | take il my friend from
! Wisconsin voted for il, as he does for moSt
of the msasurcs passed here, or as lie did
at that time Now, in this bu thday speech
see birth of something strange. Let
mo quote little from it. Sutton & Mur
phys Reporter, No. 10, page lG.
! Irepoat, am for the Union.
That is gooh.
| am for preserving all the States.
So am |.
IF Nl,o.,
all the representatives who are unmistakably and
mquestionably loyal.
SO am |.
A man who acknowledges allegiance to the
Government and swears to support the Constitu-
ton, must necessarily BE- loyal.
rhere is the mistake. As n proposition,
deny it. Breckenridge took that oath
while perjury black AS hell was shoulder
ing in his heart. The President Of your
late Confederacy had taken tho same oath
over and over again. Wigtall had taken
it. We're they loyal? Sir, | deny the
proposition that swearing makes man
oyal. If | could reconstruct the South to-
day upon an oath, would call them up and
marshall them all together, and tell them
to hold up their right hand and swear.
Why sir these rascal> have not only sworn
to support this Government, but another,
anu lnty nave u oxen uOlu Oulub' w lll
you toll me now that swearing makes man
loyal? No. My friend from PeuSl lvania
yields that point, and when ho yields it,
everybody else ought. Laughter.
But that is not all. There is little more
cat under tue meal here. | will read that
again, for it is not true
The man who acknowledges allegiance to the
Government, and who swearS tn support the Con
stituton, must necessarily be loyal.
That would have done years ago but
experience, that stern and untlinching
teacher, has taught us a great deal lately
Why, sir, they have sworn four tunes, and
) yet oath piled upon oath will never make q
traitor loyal. Treason to the moral man il
what consumption is to the physical man
he never gets we'll OF il. Laughter. Il
tants tho whole moral man il is disease
incurable nothing but death can stop it.
But let me quote a little farther
A mere nmpifcation of the oath makes no dif
ference as To the principle. d
That is, that M oath to support the Con
stitution is sufficient aud TO require him t.
swear that he has not given aid or comfort
, to the rebellion is mere anplifcation
which is of 10 use, and will aot help thu
strength of the oath.
, Whatever test is thought proper as evidence an,
as proof of loyalty is mere matter of detail abou
which | care nothing.
do.
But let a man be unmstakably and unqucstion
ably loyal, let him acknowledge allegiance to th
Constitution of the United States, and be willing 4
support the Government in its hour Of peril and it.
hour of need, and am willing to trust him. APP
plause.
Applause" But who by? By tina
horde of anything but loyal men that sur,
rounded him on that occasion. | will moi
call names, but Glanced to be here in the
early days of the rebellion, and | saw men
shouting on tho 22d OF February who were
not suspected of loyalty at that time. "Ap.
plause."S What for The test oath was to
T go. This mere ampliiicdtion amounted to
notniug Let me inform the distinguished
Senators from Wisconsin and Pennsylvania
that right there the gulf becomes az wide,
as deep, and as impassable as that between
tho rich man aud Abrahams bosom. Right
there stop. never will vote to let one
of these rebels back here, on simple oath
to support the Constitution, to seize the
reims Of power. Others may do IA they
please but on the day of Judgment. when /
stand in judgment for the deeds done here,
that sin shall not be placed to my account.
want to know il the distinguished Sena-
tor from WISCONSIN desires this test oath
repealed. Mr.. Dooittle shook his head.
Then congratulate him that no and agree
on that point. But. sir, this thing does not
stop here. A recommendation has beeu
sent here from the Executive Mansion re-
quesiing the repeal or modification Of this
oath, upon the plea that the men whom they