The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1869-04-03
Eligibility off Persons Elected or
APPOINTED to Office i'm This State.

Upon the statute book of Louisiana is
law to ascertain the eligibility of per-
sons elected or appointed to Office, and
to declare offices vacant when the person
elected or appointed is declared ineligi-
bic, and providing how such vacancies
shall be filled; and prescribing penalty
for falsely taking the oath prescribed by
law; and also fixing penalty for refus.
ing to give up the books, papers, archives
and property of such Offices to the per-
son elected Or appointed to I'll the va
cancies, AM for obstructing or resisting
the officer appointed to fill the vacancy.
This law5was enacted by Legislature
assembled in virtue of authority derived
from a constitution made by the duly
elected representatives of the people Of
this State, convened in convention in
accordance with the reconstruction laws
of Congress, made to re-established civil
authority in the States that had been in
rebellion.
Have the office-lolders in Louisiana
complied with this very impqJ tant law
of the land?
The first and second sections of the
act render it necessary that persons be-
fore being commissioned by the Cover
nor, and with view of proving their
eligibility, shall take the following oath;
!, A. B., do sIemnly swear (or affirm, as
the case may be }, that have not been con-
victed of treason, forgery, bribery or other
crime punishable in the Penitentiary; that
I did not hold Office, civil or military, for
one year or more under the organization
STYLED the "Confederate States of America"
that d.d not register myself as an enemy
to the United States; that I did not
act as leader of guerrilla bands dnripg the
late rebellion; that in the advocacy of trea-
son did not write or publish newspaper
articles, or preach sermons during the late |
rebellion, and that | did not vote for and
sign an ordinance of secession in any State. |
Persons who have publicly recanted,
and thereby, under the law, relieved
themselves of political disabilities, are
not required to take the above oath, but |
shall take the following:
IA. B., do solemnfy swear Cor affirm, as
the case may be), that prior to the first of
January, 1868, did favor the execution of |
the laws of the United States pcpeaarly |
known as the Reconstruction Acts of Con-
gress, and openly and actively assisted the
loyal men of the State in their efforts to
restore Louisiana to her position in the |
Union.
In addition to either of the above oaths,
the party presenting himself to be COM
missioned for Office is required to take
the following oath:
That I nevar engaged in any insurrection
or rebellion against the United States, or
gave aid and comfort to the enemies thereof,
after having taken an oath as member of
Congress, or as an officer of the United
States, or as member of any State Legis-
lature, or as an executive or judicial officer
of any State, to support the Constitution of
the United States. .@s
It is further provided, that If any per-
SON within the exclusion of the third
section of the fourteenth amendment to
the Constitution Of the United States,
who shall have been relieved of disabili-
ties therein contained, shall be elected
or appointed to any Office, either State,
parish or municipal in this State, iu lieu
Of the second clause Of the oath prescrib-
ed in this section, said person shall take
and subscribe to the following oath: