The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1869-08-26

hHSGUOleD W w hV-llUbI VI ~ ~" -
June, 1861"
On the 10th day Of February. 1863,
an act was passed requiring the fore,
going oath to be taken by variety OF
persons other than officers, but It's du.
ration was limited to the end of the
war.
On the llth day of March, 1872, an
other law was passed re cnacting The
same oath and extending it to numerous
persons that were not included 10 the
former law. This Inter law repealed the
former one, but it is no. limited in its
duration.
On the Goth orJune, 1868, every PER
son elected or appointed to any Office
or rust, civil or military, is to make
oath that be will support the Constitu'
ion Of the United Safes and the Con.
stiturion of this State,
And on the same day was the test
oath, commonly called tho iron clad
oath" enacted, in these words:
Every person elected or appoinlgi 70
aoy Office of trust, ciVi or military, shall,
before proceeding 10 exercise the author
ily or discharge the duties Of the same
take the following OATH II A. B, do
soemny swear that will supper, the
constitution of the Uritel States and the
constitution Of this State; that I have
never Voluntarily borne arms against the
United States; that have voluntarily
given no aid OF comfort 10 persons en-.
"a Ged in armed hostility thereto; by
counlCnancing. coUnselng encourag.
ing them in the same; that l have not
sought, accepted nor attempted to cXar-
ciso the functions oIany Office, whatever,
under any authority in hostility to the
United States; that | have not yielded a
voluntary support to any pretended gov
emmenl, authority, power or constitution
within the United States, hostile or in
imicaI thereto; and that take this oh
lig4tion freely without any mental res
crvation or purpose Of evasion.
In the session commencing on tho
IS b ofJAnWary, 1864 there was no law
passed with reference to oaths at all.
In the session commencing on the l7'h
Of January, 1866 at a time when it was
pretty yell known tie rebellion was put
down, these oppressive and unjust laws
began to be multiplied, On the lDh
day Of Febru ry, 1865, = law was pass
cd declaring that every judgment or de
Creg that had or should be thereafter had
no matter how uoiust OF Ubiquitous,
should not be rcbeard or corrected, un
less the party desiring the rehearjng
should take an oath, in substance, thal
never helped the South or wished them
well.
On the 23th day Of February. 1865, n
law was passed, that 40 judgment or de-
cree, however erroneous they might be
on the face of the record, could be tuken
to a higher Court and reversed without
a test oath. And on the same day the
law passed prohibiting man from sue
ing for his debts or other property,
without taking test oath.
As intend 10 lay before the honest
portion Of the community, these laws
and others in full, to show their enor-
nous injustice and oppression, | have
merely adverted to them in this article.
Ga the 25,h oil February, 1865, was
enacted the voters test oath, and as this
is one of the test oa,hs proposed to be
repeated, | will devote more attention to
it hereafter.
Then on the 18th of February, 1865,
is the test oath excluding lawyers
though they were by some of the Judges
excluded under the guise Of the off 'ers
oath, which decision was reversed by
the Supreme Court of this State, BY
which time the lawyers test oath had
been coucociel and passed
The history of tho worll will perhaps
not show more oppressive laws, and
call upon all morais!s 50 notice the quo
tation from the greatest Of modern NOR
alists. himself OF the limo of its uttorancC
I psnsioncr on the British Government
t Samuel Johnson in conversation is said
to have Severely reprobated the barba'
, rous debilitaliog policy of the British
Q Government which be said was the mos
, 2ctCSiaJlG mode OF persecution (of tn,
, lrish). To gentleman who limited tina
such policy might be necessary to sup
, port the authority Of tho English gov
o eminent. he roplicd, "Let the authority
r of the English government perish tnthc
than be maintained by iniquity, Better
5 would it be to restrain the turbuanco o
$ the natives by the authority Of the sword
n and to make them amenabla to law an,
Justice by an cf'cctual and vigorous pol
e iCc than by an rnrelcnting persecution
r to bcgg1r and s,ave them"
$ Do you take gentlemen? Apply tina
= to your own government?
MYRTiLLIS
Q KLINE HOUSE.
II lncar the Steamboat Landing)