Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-05-09
ReneaIInr the Test Oath.

AcDEalAmS u
The recent effort of the President and
Secretary McCullech to obtain the mOdi-
Acstion of the test oath so as toappoint
rebels to Office in the South, on the
ground that there are not Union men
enough to I'LL the offices, is drawing down
on them an array of facts which is over
wheiming. The report of the judiciary
| COMMITTEES against repeating the oath
| amounted to a demonstration Of its neces-
sity. while the argument of Mr.. Johnson
and Secretary McCulloch is refuted blythe
smplest testimony from all parts Of the
| South to the number of competent Union
men who are still there. This stste of
facts looks very much as though President
johnson we're endeavoring, on false pre-
fences, to procure a modification Of the
test oath in the South as an opening
wedge, hoping, as the next step, to abolish
it entirely. The most conclusive state
ments as to the number and competency
Of Union men in every Southern
State come from the South. Here are a
few. The loyal men of Alabama have
united in an address, in which they make
the following statement:
HOyer 5000 men enlisted in the Union
armies from the mountain counties Ia North
Alabama. They fought brayely during the
/ war, and were part OF General Shermans
| escort on his march from the mountains to
r C--ALL Ale hama martha ElOr-
| ids line. two regiments were also made up
/ for the national army, viz: the First n
l second Florida Cavalry. These men, who
came into the Federal lines at the risk Of
their lives. had fathers, brothers and rela-
/ tives AZ strong Unionists as themselves.
| cen e. r spencer, who commander s part
/ ~ these troops. and the Union men from
| Alabsma now in this city, will be happy to
furnish to the Treasury and Postofice De-
| partment the names Of hundreds OF respect
| able, reliable and intelligent Unlonists u
| that State, who are able to take the test o@tn
| Of Office without mutilation or mental reser-
Walton"
A LOYAL Virginian publishes the follow
ing statement as to his State
al haye the honor to state, in the name
/ of the loyal men Of Virginia, many OF
whom have suffered imprisonment, exile
/ and inphverishmentin consequence of their
LOYALTY to the Government Of the United
States. there were a sufficient number Of
competent and loyal men Incarceratea IN
Richmond, and Salisbury, North Carolina,
flor no cause but that of devotion TO the
United States Government, to I'LL the red
ersl appointments, that can take the present
test oath without modification. So much
for Virginia and there is no question that
m exery Southern State there are enough
true and LOYAL men capable TO I'LL the
/ oficas n thew had the least encouragement
10 annIv for them. If the test oath is mod
i6ed tbe Iovalelement in the South viii be
| forever DESTROYED. In behalfo Of ustice,right,
mercy, and the loyslists Of the South, !
humbly pray the Congress OF the United
States Government not to modify the oath
A loyal Texan, who has suffered ten
months in a rebel prison because of his
fidelity to the Union, and who lost all his
property and was driven from his home
when the state re5elled, writes an indig-
nant letter on the subject in which he
szys-
at is said the test oath should be repeal
ed, because competent loyal persons cannot
be foundto fill the Offices. The statement
Il false, There are plenty Of loyal and eapa-
/ BILE men, and If theTt were not they csnnot
imported. But there are plenty. If loyal
men are wanted SO 60 to Congress, or I'LL
any other Office in this State, they can be
had in sufficient numbers"
A fire took place in Cory on Sunday
evening last destroyingt the United States
and Mazeppa hotels and several adjacent
bnfld;nss. The estimated loss is about