The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-01-15
UNITED STATES SUFBEEE COURT.
Decisions in The MiSso' Il and LAWYERS
leSl va a Gases.
C'HhClSV ,1clARED USCONSIITu'. loNAL
D''S'' ,sins Opinion Of Chief Justice Chase
and Associate justices Miller,
=. Swayne and Davis.
The Niisseuri Tcs, Oath Case.


WASHINGTON. Jan. IA. 1867
IL the supreme Court OF the United sa,es to-day, As
Justice Field said ne mad been instructed TO de-
liver the opnion tho ease 81 John A. Cnmmins,
plaintiff ia error against the state Missouri involving
the consuuosiy ,ha test oath Of that state. The
plaintif was Roman Crthoc priest, and convicted
the for advising ana preaching without having
rrs taken required OATH and sentenced pay tine
OF $500 and committed Jail until paid. On appeal
from Circuit CcaTt the Supreme Court OF the
affirmed the Judgment The following mere outline
Of the opinon;-
Tho oath by Tire constitution OF that State imposes
more than thrty distinct airmatons and tests some
OF them constitute offences OF the highest grade which
the heaviest penalties attached; of them are
not statute, whiie others arc not biameworhy. They
require him not only 10 that he in
hostility 70 the UniOed States, bu, that he
manifested adherence 70 the cause OF
the enemy; or desired triumph the arms OF the
United States, or that he expressed sympathy for
the rebels, sought promote the ends Of those
engaged in war AGAINST the United States authorities
ever left the State 10 escape enrolnent The perform
ence OF military duty, expressed his dssasac
zion with the government Every person unable TO take
sns oath declared incapable hold ing office OF
trust honor of scuug 4 manager OF any
corporation or hereafter 10 be established OF
teaching 10 any educa iona institutions or holding real
estate Tor religious societies congregations and
person holding such office ut the time the const
futon wen, INTO effect was required within SIXTY DAYS
Office becomes vacant. No attorney the bar, priest
preacher u permitted 10 teach or solemnnze
lag" ",snp, a ~ w "n, ra,se wearing =
This oath - without any precedent IN this
..y maen va 1ou,. .ouao discover - y nfss
Intervening period, In other conntr oaths
,n,teu ~ ~ llesaS. anu Nale no. administered IN
IL not only directed against individuals who opposed the
Ma r. - It,i 81 .,' s ~. loes amu
ARISING from maisnity and acts sprngIng from Affection
:. 10y wv ~ 'APiou ss Mpa'ny ioI the fepenon
ha - doca,sa vnhi y, ~ a1 ooscss we u oioou
5anarxa, r.as, ~. $500. - V osr, anu -
Sa,,,sa ~ nn, dS p n epe.,nou . me .ours
MssaarI ~ ~ s,a,a 10 lemea COUNSEL oa
.ttr,hn,as of soyore;gntv and a,non, 80 ,,,, .S
a. az Sa,a .a re ,a -, , e ,,sns i.sea, u
cations far oo,na and Ia conJi,,nns 81 ,inh ,i
nav s,ercisa Ihe,r cangs ana nnrsms with 10 r
ci,on m, i hy M means Follows ,b, tha S,a,a c
.n6,c nnnshmen Tor acts which uara not rnn,shahla
hen camn,,as II was ayaan, Ton, mo o,mrn ~ ,ho
pursuits and protessions If nares LACED nnder
~ ~ 81 Wssoir ,hn, ,os ~. IA -
INC raIa,nn ~ ,na~ e,nass 60 49,. ,,, ~ ~
fsssons there was no conn betwee the Allegation
I'm. cmmm,ns sr The Stats ~ avoia ,ha drae, ~
of he sacraments Of the Cbnrcn nar
Iact az Inn, Wind oy words M svmns,bv fnr ,Io.s IN
raha,on sho~ ,hs un6tnsss az Ia .ya,S ~ rnr.s.crs
tsschers ar ,hef wan, of ability in acting 40 ~
syusiaas ~ cornnra,ions I, ms on ,hn
.ss,amont ~ ,ha,r acts ,ha, there ,ras - s,S
rsas,an RI. oa,h could M, ns .nn,.I 40 ~
ha,ha. ~ 80. 800 a. "a,;ss ~pp'oa - nv ~
.a,b was tnn,ardaa 20 rsann a,s nv a ~.
sheir calling NO, hecanse ,he;r acts u,a,,sd ,Sa Sor
,hs,r ca,i,ng hn, n.cosa ,ras 49,, -, 49,, a, W
asssx,ina az nnr;shnan, ~ "a 80, -. Ss .n,,s.
sN.rr ~ c,,,vcrsh. tn. o,r, Ala :. ~ ~ -.
than no ssnr,van ~ u1s hh ~. rd ses ma ',sS
.nr,.nmsn, a, eli 80 bs,, s Nv
a. an imneachmant NAV ha nnnsbmont a,sa W. -
yen,,os a,torneys nraa,cinv IN The ssdeI cnnr,s
he s,o,r,os n'na ma - - yv,',;., IN 80, y
.naas,na asans, ia cbss,tao ,i". - s ~, LIE WI
rrne scans ,he nivina snir,, ss n,hIa ~ ,h a.,
oransa 20 4. -, sroa 'nnah, 20 haI ~ a, - -
,rns, az ,,roa, All 60 ~ .anns onus , ~
stssa,a .wo coorsa III for con,ann, o,I p W.
E,ns,s an,ho,,,. ~ ays, ~ oo, y, ae i 80
, 49,. ~ ~, a aas .n1 ,lsn' " p any
- nenaI,v ~ GOO pIacss,aa eve ~, ~ i =,
liberty consists in the loss OF lands or pio6ts Of lands
sor i,ts ava d,sah,l,Sos Sroyn hn,n oa,.as :, ba, @
snoin1,art .ar 80 p n ~ i oe 90 " I. ion. W
d,sasaI,x az an nry,ins - s M - !, ~ M s, va
ri,,~ansht,. - irs,ca dor,,a,in ~ 80 sh,s's
M ,i1h, ~ :, o,a ~, ,,rcos ~ =, - 'a,,, - ,,nn
or 10 he an e,onIoys = sc6on ~ uar = !, aarr'
Inc Tho ihaarv ~ Witch ar ,,s,;,n,ns ras, I, ,h,
All men haya gsrts,p ,nai,anah,a sh,s arnona shicn
ware life nberty ana tne n,rsn,, e, hann,nose rnus
WY ls' Hser3 ana .ne pursuit OF happiness mus
and All are nroec,ah eonai,v nndo ~ se o"e'
pr,vation OF rights or nast ronan i nnnisuent ans
cannot otherwise be defined The court then proceeded
70 the consideration az The consinonI onas,top Tho
son,ttnt,op contains what NAV hi deemed i I'm ~
nights Il saysNo state shall PASS bin Of a,,sinder
or or poa Jo-a law iii ~ a,iander u lsrsIa,,vs
M, when involves nnnishmanf w,,hopt trial ~ iess
than d.aih il Is nil az mans and nanaI,,es Nm ~
ruIt of he rares ~ihoa, az aas.ora ~ tria, and
Il uxes the degree 81 nun shnen IN accordance win s
swn idea Of the offence Justice story says bills OF this
lion in England or the gross substance OF them for
getting justice aud tramphug on the rights OF Others
Such bills generally directed against the individuals
by name Nv Henry The Eighth IN was declared thar
Earl Kildare and his abeto coufederaiee or adherepts
should saud and be aitanted and convicted OF hiQn
treason ~ though every one OF Them were property
named engaged the TACT the declaration in the
tune Of Charles the Second that Earl Caroan should
fuler II the third article Of the consultation Of
Missouri had stated in terms that Cummins was
guilty Of teing in armed hostility to tho United
Staiee and Lad he left the State 10 AVOID being
drafted AMI that he sas therefore deprived OF his
night 70 teach 10 the institutions Of the iand
pbere Is no question that this would be a bill of
attsinder IN view Of The constitution II The clause
instead of mentioning h,s name had ali
subject 10 Ike privatons the clause would DO equally
such persons would bs hcld guilty urov,ded maj bv
day spec nsd they did pos do certain scs that would BE-
within the constitutional Inhibition in s these cases
vould bs leusla,,ye Inacmsn, rithoua shs for,n ~
security Of ciiireus esabshed by our trbnnals The
question presented IL one OF form and not of substance
he exstinr clause presuma nar,,es guilty from Uh,rb
shey release ihemsslyes whon, an erpursa,ory
cath II IA certaS the legal result IL thai which cannot
be done directly cannot be done indirectly The oonst
futon deals with subsauce rot with shadow II aims AZ
shing. mot Names 1b,ef Jna.io. M.rShsu ssvs an -