The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1866-04-27
THE TEST OATH.

THE TEST OATH.
Beport OF the House Judiciary ICosa-
mittee.
The following is the report of the Commit
tee on the Judiciary, made through Mr..
James F. Wilson, of Iowa, its chairman, to
the National House of Representatives in
obedience to the direction of the House to
mitting. with his endorsement, communities
tions from the Secretary of the Treasury and
Postmaster General, suggesting modifca-
ton of the oath of Office prescribed BY the
act Of July 2, 1862-otherwise known as the
Test Oath:
REPORT.
The act prescribing this oath of Office vas
passed when the nation was in the midst Of a
gigantic war, waged against it by its own cit
Hens, and Congress intended to establish by
it permanent rule of public policy which
should exclude from the Offices Of the United
States every citizen who had voluntarily
abandoned his allegiance to the Government
and joined in the mad attempt of traitors to
destroy it. The official position which many
of the leading traitors held under the Gov
ernment while engaged in organizing the re
bellion, were sources of power without which
the war could not have been commenced.
those positions gave the conspiratorsa a resist
less influence over the people of the South
ern States, and supplied the means for organ.
izing forces that converted one-half of the
Republic into battle fields on which loyalty
and treason contended for four years. Ii
every officer of the Government had proved
true to his trust, the rebellion could not have
occurred. This fact was properly apprecia-
ted by Congress and by President Lincoln,
when the act of July 2, 1862, was placed up
on the statute book of the nation. They
said that treason derived all its original
strength from the official positions OF the
leading traitors. The baseness of the trai-
tors who had gone from Congress, from the
Cabinet, from the army and the navy, to give
character and power and organization to the
rebellion, was fresh in the mnds OF all who
participated in the enactment of the oath of
office.
THE YULEE LETTER.
The Yulee letter, disclosing the double vii
lainy Of the men who conspired against the
Government while holding its highest Offices,
had been discovered and placed before the
country but short time before the passage
of the act Of July 2, 1862. That letter did
much toward convincing every true supporter
of the Government, of the necessity Of ap-
plying the test of uninterrupted loyalty to
every public officer. So marked was its ef-
feet then, that the committee deem it proper
to reproduce it here as an argument in favor
of maintaining the policy, in the adoption OF
which it materially aided The letter is as
follows:
WASHINGTON, Jan. Z, 1861.
Ny DEAR SIR: On the other: side is a
copy Of resolutions adopted at consultation
of Senators from the seeding States, in
which Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, Arkan-
sas, Texas, Mississippi and Florida were
present The idea Of the meeting was tha,
the States should go out at once and provide
for the early organization of s Confederate
Government, not later than the 10Th of Feb
ruary This time is allowed to enable Louis.
lana and Texas to participate. 1t seemed tc
be the opinion that if we all Left here, force,
loan, and volunteer bills might be passed,
which would put Mr.. Lincoln in immediate
condition for hostilities whereas by remain
ing in our places until the 4th Of March, it il
thought we can keep the hands of Mr.. Bu
chanan tied, and disable the Republicans
from effecting any legislation which will
strengthen the hands of the incoming admin
istration. The resolutions will be sent by the
delegation to the President of the Conven
4ion. have not been able to find Mr.. NAL
lory this morning. Hawkins is in Connecti
cut. have therefore thought best to send
you this copy OF the resolutions.
In haste, yours truly
D. L. YuLEE.
JOSEPH FiSNEGAN, Sovereignty Convention
Tallahassee, Florida.
THE RESOLUTIONS
The resolutions referred to in this lettel
were as follows:
FIRST. That in our opinion the Southern
States should, as soon as may be, secede from
the Union.
Second That provision should be mad,
for convention to organize Confsdsracy 0
the seeding States, the convention not Il
meet later than the 18th of February, at th,
City of Montgomery, Alabama
Third. Thst in view of the hostile legisla
ton that is threatened against the secedinl
States, and which may be consumated befor,
tho 4th of March, Ne ask instructions, whethe
the delegations are TO remain in Congress
until that vote for the purpose of defeatinI
such legislation.
Fourth. That committee be, and ar
hereby appointed, consisting of Messrs. Da
Wis, Slidell and Mallory to carry out the Oh
ject of the meeting.
pERFIDY OF THE REBEL LEADERS.
The consprators who attended the meet
ing referred TO in this letter, and who passes
these resolutions, all had resting upon thei
consciences an official oath requiring them i
support Inc Constitution ofthe United States
They were all Senators of the United States
In pubiic they professed to respect that oath
and to desire the perpetual unity IF the r.
public. In secret they disrerarded the A.
and plotted for the destruclon or H. o,ha.
No one but madman should th;nt of t~,,..
ing these men again with official 49,. 4
this nation and yet their perfdy, deen a.,
damning as it was, did not exceed thai pf -
great body Of public men who controlled ~
political power Of the insurrectionary Stass
while the forces of war we're concentrating
and who, in most of those States, possess
to day.
THE TEST OATH or 1862.
Congress and the country were convince
that upon the conscience of such men Il
ordinary oath OF Office would loove but litt
effect, and that the safety Of, the natien r
quirsd their exclusion from Office aItogethe
The test oath Of 1852 uas one Of ~ Rasul
Of this convic4ios. The teachings of mo-
than four ysers Of vss, With il expenditur,
Of blood aad tssasnfe, it. blaek hasvoso q
revolving barhaSism, have MOI eh9aea th
convic6es. The tfsechsry ~ 1851 nay /
repeated ifthose who participated il il skonl
again b intnstsd With power. Consuifa1ol
aight peoGt ~ ~ expGlienee q ~ -
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