The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1870-09-29
The Election of COmGressmen-An
Earnest Word I'm Season.
The Governor still DELAYS to order cleo

standing the right of her qualified voters
to be represented by persons of their own
choice and of the constitutional require
ment that such elections shall be held
Nevertheless we scarcely think that he
will persist in this course.
We would, therefore, again press upon
all the opposers of Radicalism in the sew
eral districts the Importance of immedi-
ate preparation for concentrating their
strength upon men who will represent
their interests faithfully and who possess
the necessary qualifications under the
stringent conditions imposed by the Rad
ical rulers in the hey-day of their power.
The 18th Amendment excludes all
persons who took an oath previous to the
war to support the Constitution and at
forwards engaged in hostilities to the
United States, or sympathised with OF
aided, those who were so engaged. The
iron-clad oath is required of all persons
who are elected to Office under the govern
ment of the United States, but persons
disqualified by the 18th Amendment,
whose disabilities have been removed are
relieved of The necessity Of taking it. In
their cases tie following modified oath
was established by act of July 18th, 1868:
whenever any person who participated
in the late rebellion, and from whom all le
gal disabilities arising therefrom have been
removed by act OF Congress, by vote of
IL l. r. l. ASa hnnv4 hall
be elected or appointed to any Office or place
OF trust in or under the Gov eminent OF the
United States, he shall, before entering upon
the duties thereof, instead of the oath pre-
scribed in the act OF July I'd, 1862. take and
subscribe the following oath or affirmation:
Il. A. B., do solemnly swear (or affirm
that W i'll support and defend the ConstiIu-
ton of the United States against all enc
mics, foreign and domestic; that / will bear
true faith and allegiance to the same; that l
L take this obligation freely without any
mental reservation or purpose of evasion !;
and that will we'll and faithful discharge
the duties of the Office on which l am about
to enter, so help me God"
To place the matter beyond all cavil or
doubt, Congress, on the l4th December,
| 1860. passed the following law, viz:
''Sec. =. And be it further enacted, That
| all persons from whom the disabilities i'm
posed by the 14th Amendment of the Con-
stitutiou OF the United States have been or
shall be removed, and who have been or
| shall be elected or appointed to any Office or
| place of trust In or IN Ter the Government
| of the United States, or of either the States
| or Territories, shall. before entering on the
| duties thereof, take and subscribe the oath
: prescribed in the act of July IL, 1868, enti-
| tied ''aE act prescribing an oath of Office to
be taken by persons from whom legal disa-
| bilities shall have been removed instead OF
the oath prescribed in the act approx ed July
| 2, 1882, entitled AN act to prescribe an oath
| of Office, and for other purposes'-anything
in any other act to the contrary nOtwith-
standing.
By these provisions it is clearly to be
seen who are in a condition to serve the
people. To select persons who cannot
qualify is simply to throw away an OPP
portunity to recruit the conservatives in
the House of Representatives and to play
into the hands of the common enemy
Our friends in Congress who have steadi-
ly opposed all the proscriptive measures
against the South-who have steadily
advocated every plan looking to their de-
| liverance from the bondage under which
| she has suffered at the hands of a COW
ardly and vindictive party-and who
have made constant progress in strength
ening their numbers for effective action
in the national Legislature, have appeal
ed to the people of the South to send no
persons to take their seats but such as
can qualify. Unfortunately this class
does not embrace as large a number of
popular and available material as could
/
be desired. Still it is large enough to
afford all that the occasion requires. Let
the opposers of Radicalism-the friends
of Constitutional Government-be vigil
liant, and active; and ready to move in
solid column when the word is given
They Will have the power to elect four of
the FIVE Representatives.
7. S. After writing the foregoing we
we received through exchanges the fol-
lowing letter f'om the National Demo
cratic COMMITTEE, setting forth the i'm
portsnce Of selecting eligible candidates.
1t will be seen that the opinion ia express
ed that the Radical Clerk of the House
of Representatives will not enter on the
roll Of members; the name of any person
who cannot take the test oath whether
| his disabilities have been removed or not;
but in view of the law substituting the
modified oath for the iron-clad applica-
bic to such cases, We cannot but think,
the assumption unwarranted, notwith-
standing the -habitual treaehery of the
Radical party. Our advice to Con-
servatives is to select men who can
take the iron-clad oath, or whose disa-
bilities have been removed for participant
ing in what is miscalled the rebellion.
Another Letter ON the Iron.cIad
Oath.
| Rooms OF TIRE n ATIoNAL DEMOCRATIC !
EXECUTIVE PRESIDENT COMMITTEE,
| WASHINGTON. ID. Z. Sept. Is, 1870.
Hon. Babe Peseon- GdlIdtin, Tennessee
DEAR SIR Your favor of August
Both came duly to hand.
We have received so many letters asking
| forinformation as to the eligibility of can
| didates for Congress, that we have had
| printed and put in shape the Congressional
| Address OF the Democrats and Conserva-
| tives, issued some time since, and which we
b0hC iiAu " eCuO as reply 10 the many let
| tiers that come to US. We now beg to en-
close you one, which contains the views of
| this committee on the subject Of what ia
practically needed in making nominations,
Whatever may De the legal aspects of the
case. We believe that legally. one whose
disabilities have been removed is eligible,
ought only to be required to take the modi-
fed oath but that particularly the Radical
Clerk of the House would not place on the
roll. or permit voice in the ORGANIZATION of
the House, one who could not take the test
oath. Therefore we urge, as safest. the
nomination to Congress of such only as can
tol- hat - ~~A