The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1866-04-27

gress from the Cabinet, and from the army and |
power to tie rebellion, was T fresh in the minds Of
ell who participated In the enactment Of the oath
Of office. The YuIee letter, disclosing the double
Government while holding it's highest offices, had
been discovered and placed before the country but
short time before the passage OF this aotof July g.
every true supporter Of the Government OF the ne
cessty Of applying the test Of uninterrupted loyal
ty to every public officer. So marked was its Of
fects then that tho Committee deem it proper to
reproduce it here as an argument in favor Of
maintaining the policy in the adoption Of which it
maintain the policy Of the act of July O. 1862,
which is to keep the Offices OF the Government in
respectable by the robes OF office Places OF
honor, trust, power and profit should be bestowed
on the loyal only: True mon can be found in the
mono other should be selected No law Of the na-
ton ought to be 80 changed as to render any
other course possible, and in this regard the Com
mittee entirely concur in tho bold utterances made
by President johnson, both while the war was in
progress and after actual hostilities had ceased.
The Committee quote the remarks OF President
Tennessee to show that his declarations are in
entire harmony with the policy established by the
Act Act Of July q 1892; and when on the 2Sth OF April
pie should be taught to understand that treason
is crime, not in revenge, not in anger, but that
treason is crime, and should be esteemed as
such, and punished as such, he uttered an appeal
Tor the continuance of the test OATH Of such force
that the committee can not disregard it, and is
reach 30 desirable result; and the committee ia
OF the opinion that Of the most effective means
OF making treason odious is to close all official
doors against traitors, I'LL the Offices Of the Gov
ernment with loyal men, put no traitors on guard.
This in the judgment OF the committee, will sure
lY make treason odious, and tend to produce
| executive branches Of the Government. The CON-
mittee docs not suppose that the President, when
he declared il there are but Ave Thousand men in
Tennessee loyal to Justice these true and faithful
mon should control the work OF reorganization
and reformation, absolutely meant not to be un-
derstood as fixing numerical limitation, but
rather as announcing doctrine that loyal men,
however few In numbers, should be the only de-
positories OF political power and social influence.
This must be the true Interpretation Of his words,
for any other would be inconsistent with his en-
phatio and often repeated denunciaton Of treason
| and traitors. .g
The committee further quote from President
Johnaon's speeohes in the Senate in March, 1861.
In reviewing the letter Of the Secretary OF the
Treasury, the committee say the test oath was
lis Sy na no officer Tic had
with any other Law. All officers should know that
the dispensing power does not exist in this Gov
viii not be tolerated. II the act Of July 3, 1862,
stood in the way OF proper execution Of other
laws. to the extent indicated BY the Secretary Of
plsin;it was not TO dispense with thel law, but to
assemble Congress-, and ask for q removal OF tho,
| obstacle. Had this beon done in tho spring of
Of the nation would, In all probability have been
| avoided for with the views then entertained by
the President, relative to the power Of Congress-
! and Executive Department could have worked to-
| gether, with little or no friction.
Instead OF calling Congress together, tho Execu-
tive Department OF the Government elected to DIS
pense with the law Of July 2 1862, and the Score
tary OF the Treasury presented the House with an
exhibit OF the officers appointed under his dispen-
sstion. -
| ITS MODIFICATION
The Committee, after further argument, say in
conclusion: 'H the test oath should be 30 far
modified as to enable an ex.rebel to take It, the
| social influence which now overcomes loyal men
would still push them out OF the way and force the
Government to bestow its offices ON the disloyal.
punish traitors. On the contrary, it would in
| crease the odium which now attaches to loyalty in
the Southern States, and punish men because Of
munty that viii not respect an officer Of the Unit
ed States because he has been sufficiently loyal to
j the Government to allow OF his taking the test
| vantsges and eonveniences Of the postal
\ service extended to 1t; but does deserve
TO- have the revenue law, enforced against
Government. may be able to seoure. There
are thousands OF loyal mon In the Southern States
who can take the teat oath, and to auch should
ment recognize their claims in this regard, and
States will soon be strong enough to overcome the
moral power which frowns upon every Union man
who stood by the flag OF the Republic throughout
the wht le course Of the war. Temporary fncon-
venience should not turn the Government aside
from this policy. The unhappy condition OF the
Southern States cannot be improved by changing
laws which may be opposed to the views and the
years to destroy the Government. They must
| learn that obedience to law is duty not to be
lightly regarded, and that loyalty to the Govern
ment is virtue which cannot be destroyed by the
social power Of the disloysl. When these ends
oath, but not until them The committee there
fore, ask to be discharged from the further con-
sideration Of the subject
/ VIEWS OF NIB. ROGERS.
Representative Rogers presented his views, in
which he says the honorable Secretaries and the
President are In situation to know better the
necessities for o modification of such oath than
any other persons. Their honesty, loyalty, and
love Of country can not be Justly questioned, and
when such high authority recommend the passage
or modification OF q Inv 1t should have great
weight and furnishes to the House good evidence
that the oath should be modified. 1t ia but amall
asking simply to urge tho modification OF an oath
time OF war fer the purposes OF war, and he Mr..
Rogers) was little surprised that they did not
recommend its entire repeal. The war is ended,
and peace has been proclaimed. The only question
that ought to be raised is whether they are loyal
tuition This 10 all that ought really can be re-
;. auired OF them. The most OF the people Of the
South lost their fortunes with the rebellion upon an
honest conviction that their allegiance to State
sovereignty was superior to Federal authori-
ornment as the only means they had for sup
port; some aided the rebellion to avoid consorip-
tion; some were compelled by conscription to take
, up arms In defence Of the eo-called Confederate