The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-09-14
letter FROM Hon. ID. q. Rarris-His
Views Of the Tc~t.oAsh.

Views Of the TcAt.oath.
Hon. b. G. Harris, of Maryland, has
written q letter to a friend, In which nc
gives his views upon the test-oath ana the
question of southern representation. We
"This fthc Dcmocraticl party hastrns,ea :.
mo has bonored me. have served IL
faithfully in pcrilous times, and my prih-
ciples and honor prompt me to adhere 10
u still. There Is nothing in this position,
| am gratified to think, that comes Prdc-
ticaly in collision with the great oplcc'
we Democrats and Conservatives ootn seem
so strongly to dcsirc-the reunion oil all the
States upon fair, equal, and honorable
terms. The southern States express a
willingness for this rciinion, and all but the
Radicals are anxious that it shall take
place: and no man In the United States
can, under he circumstances, desire more
strongly such result than myself. l wish
it so arranged, however, that such man as
Stephens, of Georgia, for instance, who has
been chosen senator from that State, shall
have the privilege Of taking his seat. inns
can never be done without the repeal oil
the congressional test oath, which he ana
men similarly situated cannot take, ana
none in the South can take, except suci
as have been the enemies of the Coniedc'
rate Government, and in most cases
still the enemies of the Confederate
peoplc. These men have, as oil can see, a
direct interest, and in most cases, nc
doubt. q strong desire for the continuance
of that test oath, which confines political
power to their clique. What, for instance
did the Democratic party gain towards It's
object (of admitting the southern STATES
with all the rights of their people pre-
servcd) by letting in the representatives
of Tennessee Nothing-for those who
were admitted to seats in the House were
generally Brownlow Republicans; thus, IN
reality, adding to the strength OF the haul.
Gals. For one. / cannot well see no"
there can be any advantage whatever III
admitting representatives from inc sou'h-
crn States while the test oath, "illch et-
cludcs her best men from Congress. IS III
force. Here, then, in my OPINION, IS inc
real issue. The Democrats certainly, and'
! infer. the Conservatives also, are in favor
of the immediate repeal of this test. ii
is. I repeat, absolutely necessary that II
should he repealed, in order that the south
ern States shall be in the Union with all
their rights preserved. Let us all, then,
strive to gain this all-important object
for, if successful in this, then certainly ~,
and only then, will the Union bc cstab-
lishcd upon its old basis. repeat that
the non-repcal of the test oath has the ten
dcncy to degrade very large and the very
best portion of the southern people; and to
admit representatives from those States
under such circumstances is worse than
a mockery it is an oppression, for none
but those disposed to Cypress ana Keep
them down can ever be their representa-
tives; at any rate, they cannot have the
free choice Of those whom they would
have TO serve them in that capacity. III
we could gain the majority III the House
from the northern States at the ensuing
election, vet although that would be a
most gratifying and useful result} 1t would
make no difference in regard to southern
for the test oath would still be
the obstacle | have described it to be, and
none but such as have mentioned would
likely be returned as elected: for however
much disposed the House might be to
repeal this test, all know it could not be
done without the concurrence of the Sen
ate so that all action for the admission OF
the southern States without the repeal OF
the test oath is, and must be, of doubt
full character-may do more harm than
good-may, in fact, give an increased
power to our enemies.
cit appears TO me to be useless to talk
4 la,, ont ma N
States are in or out of the Union, when
this odious test oath substantially acts
against us exactly alike under both theo-
ries. Under neither theory, while the
test exists, can the South be benefited
Then here evidently lies the pinch of the
question. All the efforts of all lovers Of
the country should be excrtcd to return
men to Congress and other positions IN th'
northern and middle States who VIII g
for its immediate repeal"