The Van Buren press., 1868-09-25
III Ln1Ir Rock, Sent 9th lsGS.

e
. afsoy.tte -.sla.lesa--la-ss.aa s.aaus.ia.-s..,.-z'
LINN Rock, Sept 9th. 1865.
EDIroEs GHrrrE / am just about to
leave the city for day or two, but fee
that | ought TO respond promptly to the
card IN your issue Otto day, calling upon
meto bccUne candidate 70 represent
tM~ district in Congress With unicign-
eel surprise / realize that such call has
De u made upon me, but with emotions
OF gratitude equally sincere for the Hat
tgrUg terms in which it il expressed Il
wouhl hfiof me isttis fFrtiou still more
profound 20 know that I deserved At, or
that the circumstances surrounding rs
would justifyme in yielding consent TO q
wish which must conccde to he dictated
10y motives Of the prest friendship, ifnot
Of the most practicable patriotism, 1t
would not be patriotic ~ ne 10 accept
such nomination, if il were rendered
lnlny humble opinion, could be guilty
ONO more rcprehcnsiblc betrayal or the
Interests OF my fellow-citZens ofths dis
trict and the State than by accepting such
a nomination, with the certainty Of being
elected ....
In the first place, / am Secretary ofthe
state Central committee, and would ac
cept no nomination for Office while oecu,
pying that posit,on-Which | earnestly
enreatcd might not he conferred npon
me, and which / would gladly have re
signed, untilit became Il position not al.
together to be enyied because of the re-
sponsibilities it imposed. In the next
place, | would be ineligible to a seat in
Congress elected, because there is a law
Of the United States, e July, 1862, ST.,
II stat, JO2, } which enacts that " Here
after every person elected or appointed to
any office Of honor or profit under the
government of the United States, either
IN the civil, military or naval departments
OF the public service, excepting the Pres
ident OF the United States, shall before
entering upon the duties Of such office.
and before being entitled 10 any of the
salary or other cmolumeHts Of that office
take and subscribe nm oath or Affirmation
to the effect that he has never voluntari-
u borne arms against the United States
never voluntarily given aid, counteuanec,
counsel or encouragement to persons en-
gagged IN armed hostility thereto, that he
has never sought nor accepted, nor at.
tempted to exercise the functions Of any
Office whatever under any authority or
pretended authority in hostility to the
United States and that Vc takes this OBJ
legation freely without any mental rcser
yation or purpose ofcYaton ] cannot
take such an oath Unless the 18th ar
tlcie Of the amendments to the Constitu-
ton, recently declared by badge Chascto
be the law of the land, bc retroucire, in
its effect, and think it is not, it is true
that through nay pardon by the President
would be eligible but for this statueand
the oath II requires Not being qualified
/ TO take this oath, until it shallbe declared
7 20 be. unconstitutional h.a ,a.aa}iiio,I % r 20
poaled, by vote of both Houses of Con
gress, ] could not take seat in the
| House, il elected to one. But by con
senting to be elected, / would perversely
exclude from that State a Democrat, fully
IS trustworthy, who would take the oath
and vote with other Democrats for ths
repeal ofmeasures enforcing despotisrn
Under which my countryIncn groan, -
who could vote for Impractical assertion
OF principles embodied In the COnstim
tion but oycrridden by an exercise Of au-
thOrity wrcstcd from its proper sources,
which would avert -Lloodshcd and serve
better to main the validity Of that Consti-
tuition and the integrity ofthe Union than
n HUNDRED battles between, lager, armies
titan have ever MET in ne lic0 oftarnage
The repeal Of tue law requiring that
oath is impossible to be effected for Il
long time tOcoae. m-ny Judgment 1T
seriously rctard5 the event Of a free adj
missiohot the Southern States into the
Cniori.lor the people thereof to send as
representatives to The national council"
those who are dcbared by the oath there
from, and who by presenting themselves
must continue to invite, rs they have al.
ready done, upon themselves and their
constituents only derision and pity
| am too painfully alive to The suffer
iugs Of ourpcoplc under existing usurpa-
tiops to be wiling to prolong them by
cncodraging even through the accept
ancc ofa barren nomination that disno
sition, honorable IN its intention, but er-
roneous in its policy, which would reject
practical means for reforming great and
intolerable abuses, in order 10 crafty d
piquc or indulge personal partialities. /
shall never forget my obligations of graf
itude to Maj O Brien and the friends who
extended me the call, but / regard their
interests too dearly not to perceive the
peril 10 which they would eNposethem by
their generous and unmerited kindness.
Nery sincerely and respectfully,
JoHN NJ. HARRELL.
Militia