The Van Buren press., 1868-07-03
Democratic Presidential Elsctors
M Voters osth--what y IL Meaning
To- Can White Men take I'll

-Va1 " nlto 2do taAe W
Test 'osths have long been used BY
partisA Id power, for the purpose Of con
nuihg the possibility Of office holding TO
~ limited a number as possible. The
test" haa,. heretofore. seuers.ly been of
religious nature In England the l3
Car. 2. st 2. ch and IS; Car, 2. Cd. 2,
-gs.. called the . Test and Corporation
scts;" by ths'6rst it was provided. that
oil magistrates should take the oAths OF
allegiance and supremacy, and renounce
the. doctrine that il is lawful TO take arms
agaiist tue King, and should have receiv-
Cd the sacrament within one year before
their election, according 10 the rites of tie
CHURCH Of England. The latter extend
ed the provisions ITO all persona tha,
shAn bear any oftioe civil or military"
ect. and introduced . new declaration
against transubstandation. These tests
we're long esteemed the bulwarks Of the
Protestant Church, bet the good sense of
the English people finally began to evade
. them by acts Of relief and indemnity un-
til 1898, by 9 Geo. 4, ch. IL, they we're
repealed - far as regarded the sacrament
Much difference of opinion has prevailed
a. 70 the wisdom of any test oath. The
opinion best supported by reason and
common sense is, that they are altogether
vicious aud detrimental to the public wei
fare. Republicanism in America has pro
vided new test oath heretofore entirely
nnknown TO the world-that is the civil
and political equality Of all men 1t
may not be miss to enquire as to the
meaning of.tAis oath as provided by the
Constitution Of Arkansas. It's language
is, II accept the civil and political equal.
ity ofall men'--this is the first division.
II this means the actual existing equality
before dc 'aw Of al! men lS b tAs aetsS SSptthss4 tthss4
gress, then y is . fact. and any man in
his senses, must " accept it, Hit means
the natural equality Of all men, that is,
that ii men are endowed with equal Ca.
pacisy for the exercise Of political and
civil rights, then We hesitate to grant it's
truth. Because no man of the. least de.
gree ofinformssion upon that subject, be.
lieyes that all men are naturally equal.
But we maintain that this latter cannot be
the plain, meaning Of the oath, for we
caanorMy men have naturally. any polit.
zeal or civil rights. Until a man has
reached the age Of twenty ,one by our law,
be has no political rights, and his civil
rights are but few and cannot be exercis-
Cd by himself. Consequently the minor is
nofeqaal to the man over the age of TWEEN.
ty.onc. To speak of men being by ma.
ture civilly and politically equal is an ab.
sardity-for these rights are conferred
by society and not by nature The Ian.
gusge OF the oath must also refer to the
"men " who are citizens of the Southern
States, and more especially citizens of
Arkansas. Because the trainers OF the
oath, could not pretend that the Hotten.
tot has equal rights with the citizen of
America or Great Britain. The reference
must be'to citizens Of this State, for the
Constitution Ia made for this State alone
and nsne but citizens can vote or be al.
lowed TO take this oath. This language,
then, while ii seems st first general, must
b, limited in its meaning. Its meaning,
thea, n tAat--the juror accepts the civil
and political. equality Of all men before
the lax a. Il noc stands. This is an ex-
ing fact, undeniable. and we;must accept
what i existing, a. a thing in being.
However much We may deny the policy
Of this, we cannot deny the thing itself
Any one, then, can take this clause ofthe
oath.
The second division Of the oath is AZ
follows: "And agree not to attempt to
deprive any person or persons, on account
Of race, color " prerious condition, of
any political or civil rights, privileges and
immunities enjoyed by any other class
Of men," Those who feel the truth that
negroes are utterly unfit to exercise any
Of the political rights Of American citi.
zens, might denur to this pledge if no
other qualifications were required except
black skin, and previous slavery. The
mere fact that . man has" kinky hair and
~ ebony skin" is not sufficient to entiue
him to. a frsnchise He may be lliterste,
he nAy bs dishonest and corrupt, be may.
BE- . convicted felon, and many other
tAiags may sxist, to disauahfy him for of
Soe Or for voting. II being VIGOROUSLY