The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1866-05-07
Sharp Sticks from the President and
Secretary MCCuIlOCh.


Secretary McCuIlOch.
The President and Secretary of the
!. Treasury are getting hard knocks all
around for appointing rebels to Office
in the South, under the plea that I'm
ion men cannot be found, who can
take the oath, in sufficient numbers to
fill the Offices. The report of the Jul
dietary Committee against repeating
the test oath, and the Presidents re-
port of his doings and the reasons ac-
tuating him, have brought out num-
Der of damaging statements from the
South. A number of loyal Alabami-
ans have issued a public address, in
which they make the following state
ment;
"0ver 5000 men enlisted in the
Union armies from the mountain
counties in North Alabama They
fought bravely during the war, and
were part of Gen. Sherman S escort ON
-his march from the mountains to the
sea. In South Alabama, near the
Florida line, two regiments were also
made up for the national army, viz Il
the First and Second Florida Cavalry
These men, who came into the Fede-
raj lines at the risk Of their lives, had
fathers, brothers and relatives as
strong Unionists as themselves. Gen.
G.. f. Spencer, who cOmmandeda part
of these troops, and the Union men
from Alabama now IN this city, will
be happy to furnish. to the Treasury
and Postofice Departments the names
of hundreds of respectable, reliable
and intelligent Unionists in that State,
who are able to take the test oath of
Office without mutilation or mental
reservation. 70 ssrs=rs
A loyal Virginian publishes the
following statement as to his State:
/ have the honor to state, in the.
many of whom have suffered impris
onment, exile and impoverishment in
consequence of their loyalty to the
Government of the United States,
that there were sufficient number of
competent and loyal men incarcerated
In Richmond and Salisbury, North
Carolina, (for no cause but that of de-
Votion to the United States Govern
ment,) to fill the Federal appoint
ments, that can take the present test
oath without modification. So much
for Virginia; and there is no question
that in every Southern State there are
enough true and loyal men capable to
fill the Offices, if they had the least
encouragement to apply for them. If
the test oath is modified the loyal ele-
ment in the South will be forever de-
str0yed. In behalf of justice, right,
mercy, and the loyalists of the South,
I hnmbly pray the Congress of the
United States Government not to
modify the oath"
A loyal Texan, who has suffered
ten months in rebel prison because
of his fidelity to the Union, and who
lost all his property and was driven
from his home when the State re-
belled, writes an indignant letter on
the subject, in which he says:
at is said that the test-oath should
be repealed, because competent loyal
persons could not be found to fill the
Offices. The statement is false. There
are plenty of loyal and capable men
and if there were not, they can be i'm
ported. But there are plenty. If 10y
al men are wanted to go to Congress
or fill any other Office in this State
they can be had In sufficient numbers
And / hope Congress will declars
and put the whole matter beyond
doubt, that no one shall be allowed t.
hold Office under the United State
who cannot take the oath. That i
the only way of making treason know
as crime. These people don't real
lie that they did wrong, and there
but one way of impressing it upol
them. They are asking for Office, an
have received the assessorships of in
ternal revenue, to the exclusion G
loyal and highly capable Union mel
They say there are not loyal me
- enough TO fill the Offices But il is a
stuff and nonsense. Ifthe Governmer
wants loyal men in the South, it ca
have them. 6 & ~ q