Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1866-08-07
From the New York Freeman's Journal and
Catholic Register.-BY REQUEST.
The 'Test Oath" in Southern States Its
Work of Evil. = ...sS,,s:. =

Catholic Register-BY REQUEST.
The 'Test Oath" in Southern States -Its
~. ~ ..sa Work of Evil ( .,s9,fs;,.f
In great many places in the Southern States
the people cannot have the facilities ofthe Post
Office, because no man or woman tit to be
trusted with other people letters can take the
test oath" After such war between the
States as we have had it is monstrous to inn
pose such an oath. A man can, honorably,
come forward and say that he recognizes and
accepts the result of the war, and will, in good
faith, abide by and sustain the United States
Government This is all that any decent Gov
ernment, republican or monarchial, would ask
of a high-spirited people. The Government
might though the wisdom of it would be more
than doubtful-discriminat in its appointments
to office, in favor of that class of people who
were originally opposed to the secession, and
only went into it when the communities, to
which they belonged, took that step as a peo-
pie. But to prescribe an honorable man from
the ability to hold an office that his neighbors
desire him to have, on the ground that, when
his State, his county, his town. was invaded and
ravaged by military sent from thousand miles
away-when the sons, and brothers, and fathers.
of his neighbOrs were in arms, trying to shield
their families from outrage, and their roeftr
and barns from pillage and the torch-he helped
them, against Sherman 'Bummers, or Sher-
idan's troopers-to make this reason of dis
qualification for holding Office among his neigh
bors, is merely monstrousl 1t bespeaks, in
those that advocate it, the Stiffness of the goat,
and the viciousness of the monkey. 1t dishon-
! ors manhood, and puts a premium on all that
is vile and base, and hypocritical and selfish
in the shape of poor degraded human nature.
We have an instance in hand. A correspon-
dent writes us from Harrisonburg, Virginia, in
regard to the Postmaster there His name is
Sullivan. He was in the Confederate army for
short time. No one was louder or more zeal
Gus as Southern man." Not having q
stomach for fighting, he got himself into de-
one time bearer of dispatches. At another
time he was substitute broker for the Con-
federate army. At another time he was care
taker on the line Of a military telegraph. He
was alert, on more than one occasion, in giving
timely warning to the citizens of Harrisonburg
that ''The Yankees are coming !" and to ''hide
your property !" Many other such like things
did this Sullivan, as could be proved before q
jury, in ample measure, by reputable citizens of
Harrisonburg. Yet, Sullivan is Postmaster
there! Sullivan, in order to be Postmaster,
took the test OATH He solemnly swore that he
had done no act, voluntarily, either direct or in
direct, in aid of the ''rebelsi'n
There are some human beings with so little
intelligence and religious knowledge as to be
able to take an oath SO horrible, under the cir
cumstances, and yet feel no sense of degrada-
ton or remorse. But Sullivan is an lrishman,
| and was Catholic. As an Irishman, associa-
! of Irish sentiment, make him feel dishonored.
His Catholic instruction makes his conscience
| Ill at ease in the enjoyment of an Office won at
| the cost of an oath that he had neUer aided the
Confederacy So he exhibits his sense of dis
honor by gratuitously insulting those of his
neighbors who have held fast to their integrity,
and cannot, and will not, deny, that, in the
time Of it, they aided the Confederacy. He
proclaims the uneasiness of his conscience by
| Catholic priest of that mission-calling the
Lords annointed by the most villainous names.
This is often the lot of faithful priests, who, in
| the confessional, find it impossible to absolve
impenitent persons. Sullivan is not Free
Mason, however. There are requirements of
! personal character among Masons in Virginia,
that caused him to be terribly black -balled when
| his name was presented in the Harrisonburg
Lodge. So masonry could not have been a
reason for refusing him absolution. J
We have said more ON this one case, than it
may have seemed to deserve, but it is good
illustration of the working of the 'test OATH
Can any sane person believe that the loyalty"
| of this ready-swearer is as reliable as the word
| of honor of a man who would not take the oath
because it would per5ure him, but who would
promise fidelity to the government and take the
oath of office as it used to be? Surely not =
Is this, then, reconstruction p Is this the
way to promote reconciliation? Must base men
| be put in Federal offices at the South, to pro-
mote il-feelng by their perpetual taunts, and
thus to stir the embers OF a fire that ought not
| to be rekindled? We commend it to the exc
cutive at Washington to think of this.
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