Vicksburg weekly herald., 1870-02-12
MIssHssHRPH TO BE ADmHF.
TED.

AAa tNAN - ~ A1AeA AAN0 10 FNu~
teFday that the House Of RepFesen-
tatIves Of the United States had
passed a bill, similar to that re-
quired Of Virginia, for the admis-
sion Of Mississippi. The framing
Of this bill was postponed for
several days in the Committee to
admit Of the return Of B. #. Butler,
who was absent In New York city.
Immediately upon his return the
bill was framed, submitted and was
passed by the House. Our delec-
table member to the Unite6 I tates
Senate, the Honorable Military
Adelbert Ames, was before the
Committee and gave it as his opin-
ion that he had so arranged affairs
here in his various appointments
that he thought the State safe for
while at least. From some cause,
which we cannot conjecture, the
Hon. II. II. Revels was not invited
to appear before this august COM
mittee. This we eclaim to be a very
great alIront to the cOlored Repub.
licaHs of the State and should be
properly resented. The colOred
people Of this State constitute al.
most solely the Radical party, and
we claim that ii is direct afiront
to select white man to represent
them before the Reconstruction
Committee when n colored man
had been selected for that purpose.
But we presume they will. take it
all in good part.
The simple declaration that bill
similar to that adopted with regard
to the admission Of Virginia does
not carry with II much informa-
tiOn; hence we give here the prin-
cipal features of the Virginia bill.
In the first place, before any mem
Der Of the Legislature Of the State
shall take or resume his seat, or
any officer of the State shall enter
upon the duties of his Office, he
shall take. and subscribe, aud file in
the office Of the Secretary of State
for permanent preservation an oath
in the form following:
"l do solemnly swear that have
never taken an oath as a member
Of Congress, or as a member OF any
State Legislature, or as an execu-
tive or judicial officer Of any Stale
to support the Constitution of the
United States, and afterwards en-
gagged IN insurrection or rebellion
against the same, or given aid or
comfortto the enemies thereof. s.
help me God"
Or such person shall in like man,
rier take, subscribe, aud file the fol.
lowing oath:
II do sOlemnly swear that | have
by an act Of Congress of the United
States, been relieved from the ina,
bilities imposed on me by the four.
teenth amendment Of the Constitu.
tion of the United States. So helr
me God"
Which oath shall be taken beferC
and certified by an officer lawfully
authorized to administer oaths.-
And any person who shall know.
ingly swear falsely in taking eithel
Of such Oaths shall be guilty o.
perjury, and shall be punished
therefor by imprisonment not less
than one year, and not more thar
ten, and shall be fined not less thar
$1,000, and not moro than $4,000
And in all trials for any violation
of this act, the certificate OF tht
taking of either of said oaths
with proof of signature Of eithel
party accuse d, shall be taken ant
held as conclusive evidence tina
such oath was lawfully and regu
larly administered by competen
authority.
And, provided further, Tha
every such person who shall neg
lect, for period Ofthirty days mex
after the passage Of this act, TO TAXI
and subscribe and file such oath a
aforesaid, shall be deemed and taker
TO all intonts and purposes to have
vacated his office.
1t is further required as follows
And provided further, That thu
State Of Virginia is admitted to re
presentation on the following fun
damental conditions:
That the Constitution shall nevel
be so amended or changed as to dc
prive any citizen or class of citizen
Of the United States of the right Il
vote, who are qualified to vote BY
the Constitution herein recognized
except for such crimes as arc now
felOniOs at common law, whereO
they shall have been convicted un
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