Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1866-05-01

! Oath.
[ The house judiciary committee, hav.
[ ing instructed their chairman, Mr.. VIII
son, Of Iowa. to report against ting propO'
sition subLnitted 10 them Of modifying
the test oath in accordance with the
1 recommendation Of the secretary Of the
| treasury and the postmaster general
/ Mr.. Rogers, of New Jersey, from the
same committee, dissenting from the
views Of the majority, submitted on
Monday the following report
Andrew J. Rogers, from the committee
on the judiciary, 10 which was referred
/ by direction Of the house, the message
/ from his excelIency the President of the
United States, transmitting communica'
tiols from The honorable secretary Of the
/ treasury aaa ths honQrs 1le postmaster
/ general, recommending mobilization
/ Of the test oath prescribed by act Of con-
gress OF July 2, 1862, presents to the house
a minority report in favor of a moditica-
I ticn of said oath, as recommended by the
/ President ana saih secretaries, and sub
mits the following reasons:
The honorable secretaries and the
President are in q situation to know bet
/ ter the necessities for a modification OF
such oath than any other persons, TheiI
I honesty loyalty ana i0ve O. country can
not be Justly questioned, and where such
high authority recommends the passage
or modification OF q laW, It should nave
great weight, and furnishes to the house
good evidence that the oath should be
modified. II is hut a small asking, simply
% urge the modification Of an oath un'
1 known ~ the constitution, and estab-
/ lished IN time Of war, for the purposes oI
war, and ! am a little surprised thatthey
/ did not recommend its entire repeal
Tue var . ended, and peace has been
proclaimed. The OHly question that
ought TO be raised is, are they loyal men,
and if they can take an oath to support
Z the constitution. That is all that ought
or feaily ean he required Of them, The
most of the people OF the south cast
/ their fortunes with the rebellion,
IupOn honest conviction that theiI
allegiance to state sovereignty was
suDerior TO their allegiance TO federal
authority. SONG held offices under the
rebel government as the only measure
Z they had for support. Ssme aided the
{ rebellion to avoid cOnscription. Some
wsrs compelled hY pogsoriDtiop TO take
Z up arms in defense af the sO-Salled Con-
/ federate States. Yet the present oath
I prevents every one Of them from holding
any Office under the federal government
I In fact nearly One-half the people We're
compelled, by ule rpFce Of d dbspotism,
l to sustain the Confederate cause, and az
/ the federal government could not pro-
/ tact them, it has no right 10 complain oi
persons EAe we're forced 20 give allegi.
ance to the only organization that could
I give them protection. The honorable
/ secretary Of the treasury says that not
one Of those who now hold Office in the
| south weTs movers In disunion OF un.
/ friendly to the government al the com
1 neucement of the war. He saws that a
very slight change in the oath, a change
that would not cover a particle Of present
| disloyalty, would enable ths most o
them 10 hold the offices they are now Sc
acceptably filling. He also says:
&" For those offices that must soon be-
/ come vacant if congress should not deem
| ii safe or proper 10 modify the oath, I an
al a loss 10 know where the right men
I are TO be obtained or how the revenue in
MANY Of the southern districts is TO be
/ collected. deem it my duty further tC
remark that l 10 not consider it advisable
/ for the government to attempt 10 collect
! taxes In the southern States by the hands
| of stTaDners. After having given the
| subject careful consideration, anxious a!
( I am to increase the revenue and q
I tighten by distributing and equalizing
! the burdens Of the people, with no party
/ interest 10 promote, and with nothing
INT the good Of the government at heart
/ [ have come to the deliberate conclusion
| that ID would be better for the country
politically and financially, 10 suspend th'
J collection Of internal revenue taxes II
I the southern States, except in CONNER
cial cities, for months, il not for years tC
/ come. rather than tN undertake toeollec
/ them bv men not identified with the ta2
PAYERS ia sympathy or IN interest.
The rebellion grew out Of an anJag0
/ pism of oplnion between the people o
I the free and slave States, the Legitimate
result of difference Of Institutions
\ With the abolition Of slavery all rea
/ differences Of opinion and all seTlou
causes Of esrangement ought rapidly Z
| disappear. 10 will be a calamity, th'
/ extent Of which cannot now be est
mated, both TO this nation and to th'
cause Of civil liberty throughout th'
world, il, instead Of looking toward re
Cancellation and harmony, the action o
/ the government shall tend to harden anf
| intensity = sectiOnalism between ths
northern and southern states. II is off
/ feult TO conceive Of a moro unfortunate
course for the government Of the UniteC
states to pursue than to make tax gath
erers at the south Of men who arr
sfrana,Es 70 the people. 1t needs no ref
erenee 10 history lalthough il is full o
Iassons upon this subieotj "a illustrate the
fsfaI consequences Of such policy"
.EFhis is the language Of faithful trut
and devoted patriot, and who IS not an
der the influence Of party passion ran.
I caIispa or fanaticisn, and whose love iol
his country has been fully tested, and
never found wanting; one who mas beer
the guardian Of our fHaRees and acquired
q reputation for honor, purity ana states
nsanship unequaled by any OF the age ~
which We live. Let ~ bury passion
hate and revenge in the deep ocean o.
/ oblivion, and rise % the true standard o.
our country, forgiving our southern
brethren their past oiienses, as We would
that they, IN like circumstances, should
forgive us. The secretary Of the treasury
/ says:
at is true that there are still some ap.
plicants for Office in the Southern States
who present what they call a clean
record for loyalty but, with rare exeep.
/ tons, they are persons who would have
| been able TO present an equally faiI
record for pace under the Confederate
government if the rebellion had been 6