Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-09-18
POLITICAL DISABILITIES-''THE
IRoN.CLAD.o

We call the attention of our readers to
the following from the National Demo-
cratic Executive Committee at Washing
ton, in answer to q dispatch of inquiry
from the appeal:
"WAsHINGroN, d. c., Sept. 10, 1870.
We think members elect whose disa-
bilities have been removed, are legally
eligible without taking the test oath; but
we do not believe they would be enrolled
by the Radical Clerk of the House, or be
permitted to participate in the Organiza-
ton of the House. We therefore urge as
safest that none should be nominated who
cannot take the test oath.
''SANURL j. RANDALL, Chm"
This possible movement of the Radical
CLERK of the House in the organization of
that body, found its parallel in the action
of that officer at the beginning of the
seth Congress, when, under instructions,
Mcpherson put only such names on his
roll as might be of service to the Radical
party, or such as could not well be ruled
off, having been members of the previous
Congress. The Radicals in Congress are
prepared to do anything to maintain their
supremacy, and we would not be aston
ished if the National Democratic Execu-
tive Committee, with its headquarters in
Washington, and well posted as to the
possible movements of the common enc
my, were right in what they have given
us above. However, it remains with our
people to say whether or not they will be
guided in their choice of Congressman
by the fears expressed in this Dispatch
Memphis Appeal Sept. l6.
We have already published the various
laws passed by Congress on this subject
showing clearly that the Clerk has no
right to require those whose disabilities
have been removed by act of Congress &c
take the 'firon-clad" oath OF to refuse tC
enroll such as members of Congress. We
have also published the letter of Mr.. Nc
Pherson to Gen. Tom. Benton Smith, Of
this district, in which be says:
If the House believed you to be the
person relieved, and that the constitution
al provision on the subject was actually
carried out in your case, you would not bt
required, if elected, to take the test oath,
as a special oath is administered to per
sons relieved of disabilities by act of Con
gresS.
A correspondent sends US communi
cation. calling attention to another view
of the subject, the substance of which is
The act requiring the 'frOn-clad' to bt
taken by members of Congress, and al
subsequent acts relative to the oath, may
be repealed by another act of Congress.
The present Radical Congress, which
meets on the first Monday in December,
and adiourns On the 4th of Marcel
next, if it should find from the
fall elections that it would
be necessary to exclude those whose disa.
biliues had been removed by act of Con.
gress in order to give the organization OF
the next House to the Radicals, might re
peal the law prescribing a modified
oath for those whose disabilities have
been removed, and leave the act of 1862
in full force requiring all to swallow the
iron clad.
We have hitherto given fully our views
on these much vexed questions, and now
leave it entirely to the people to say how
they will be guided in their choice of a
Congressman.