Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1866-05-03
RUTLAND HERALD.
THURSDAY, APRIL &c, 1866.
The Test Oarb,--Report of the House
Judiciary Committee,


hitting, with his Endorsement, commuui. I
nations from the Secretary of the Treas
ury and the Post Master General sag
costing modification Of the test oath,
was referred by the House TO the Judici-
airy committee. That committee has Just
made a lengthy and able report against
The proposed modification. The report |
first refers to tSa circumstances under
which the act of July ., 'st2, prescrio-
ing the oath, was passed, Congress IN /
tended by it to establish a permanent
rule of public policy which should eE-
clude from the offices Of the United
States every citizen who had voluntarily
abandoned his allegiance to the govern
ment and joined in the attempt OF trait !
ors to destroy it, Treason derived all |
its original strength from the official po- |
sitions of leading traitors. While hold |
ing these positions, with the oath OF Of |
fee upon them, they were secretly plot |
ting for the overthrow Of the Union /
Congress and the country, say the COM |
mittee, were convinced that upon the
Consciences of such men the ordinary
oath of Office would have but little eff
feet, and that the safety Of the nation
required their exclusion from Office al
together The test oath of 1862 was
one Of the results Of this conviction.
The teachings of more than four years
Of war, with its expenditures Of blood
and treasure, its black horrors and re-
voting barbarisms, have not shaken
this conviction. The treachery of 1861
may be repeated II those who partici-
pated in it should again be intrusted
with power. Couspirators might profit
by the experience Of the past, and make
future treason more successful than that
which, overwhelmed by disaster, now
lies at our feet.
The committee understand that it is
the deliberate purpose of Congress to
maintain the act of July ., 1862, which
is to keep the offices Of the government
in the hands OF loyal men. Treason
should not be made respectable by the
robes of otlice-places Of honor, trust
and profit should be bestowed on the
loyal only. True men can be found in
the insurrectionary states to fill all such
places, and none other should be select
ed. No law of the nation ought to be
so changed as to render any other course
possible. And in this regard the COM
mittee entirely concur in the bold ut
terances made by President Johnson,
both while the war was in progress, and
after actual hostilities had ceased.
The committee proceed to quote the
declarations of Mr.. Johnson, that trea-
son is a crime and should be made
odious, and punished as a crime; that
TRAITORS should take the back seat in
the work Reconstruction" and chat if
there be but five thousand in State
loyal to the constitution, loyal to free
dom, loyal to justice, these true and
faithful men should control the work OF
reorganization entirely" In such dec
larations the President uttered an ap-
peal for the "test oath" of such force,
say the committee, that they cannot dis
regard it. And the committee are OF
opinion that one of the most effective
means Of making treason odious is to
close all official doors against traitors,
fill the Offices Of the government with
none but loyal men,-put no traitors on
guard. The test oath makes treason
odious by teaching the people that nc
traitor is worthy to hold any position
of public trust ander the government
The principle Of that act is Just, its pol
icy wise, and it's observance is deman.
ded by the highest interests Of the ma
ton.
But the President, the Secretary OF
the Treasury and the Post Master Gen.
eral recommended modification of the
oath. The Secretary Of the Treasury
says:
1.-THE country was in peculiar con
Q1Jl0n. Inc rebellion Dau come TO
sudden close. All resistance to the au
thority of the United States had ceased
and some seven millions Of people, in ;
state of utter disorganization, were lef
without any civil government what
ever, and without even an adequat,
military protection against anarchy
and violence. Under these circumstan
ces, as it seemed clearly to be the duty
of the Executive to proceed at once t
establish the Federal authority anC
civil government in these States, so i
seemed to be necessary to carry into eff
feet the revenue laws of the general gov
eminent AS the country was passin:
from state of war to state of peace
and the emergency seemed too pressin;
TO admit Of delay till the meeting 0
Congress, it was thought that the ties
oath might, in view Of the great oh
jects to be obtained, in some cases b
dispensed with or. rather. that person
might be permitted to hold revenue OF
fees who could take it only in quail
flied form"
Whereupon the committee say