The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1870-09-17
Let the People Have Light.

We find in the Memphis appeal of last
Monday the following
The New York World again most earn
estly cautions the Southern people against
! sending to Congress any persons under dis
! abilities, or who are unable to take what Is
| called the 'iron-cad oath or that passed
by the Congress in July, 1862 The gener-
| al rule Is that all members Of Congress must
take that oath. And it would, therefore, be
unsafe to elect any not able to take it, and
would result in their rejection beyond all
! doubt. As touching those under disabili-
! ties, and not able to take such an oath, the
counsel of the WOrtd is tinely and impor-
tant
But the World itself admits, and it is too
plain a matter for doubt, that there are
some exceptional cases, and. Senators Pool,
/ of \ oTth Carolina, johnson, of Virginia,
and Lewis of Kentucky, with Butler, of
| Tennessee, aud others, have already been
| admitted without taking the iron-clad.'' D.
! The act of December A. 1869 is as follows
Sec. 2 a nd be it further enacted, That
/ all persons from whom the disabilities i'm
posed by the Fourteenth Amendment of the
Constitution OF the United States have been
or shall be removed, and who have been or
shall be elected or appointed to Office or
| place of trust In or under the government
of the United States, or of either of the
States or Territories, shall, before entering
upon the duties thereof, take and subscribe
| the oath prescribed in the act approved July
II, 1868, entitled an act prescribing an oath
OF Office to be taken by persons from whom
| legal disabilities shall have been removed,
instead of the cath prescribed in the act of
July ,, 1862, entitled an act to prescribe an
oath of Office, and for other purposes, any
| thing IN any other acts to the contrary not
| withstanding."
This operates a repeal of the general law
| as to them. 1t would be absu to require
Of those who are known to have given aid
and comfort to the Confederacy, and whose
disabilities therefore Congress has actually
removed, an oath that they had given no
aid and comfort; and therefore this prOvis-
ion was made for their cases as exceptional
! they have only to swear TO support the
Cons titution, bear true allegiance to the
lGovernment and demean themselves faith
fully as members of the two houses If for
instance, of the candidates for this district
Lacey, or Latham, or Vaughn, or Shelton
should be elected, the one elect would be
required to take the iron-clad while II
Archibald Wright, or VIM. L. Avery. or
lGeorge Dixon should be elected, neither oil
these-having been relieved by Congress
would be required to do more than take the
last provided mere Oath TO support the Con
stitution. OF this conclusion there can be
no reasonable doubt for the subsequent and
latest action of Congress has to all intents
and purposes repealed the action of July
1862 as to them. They are not only not
required to take it, but they are virtually
forbidden, by the provision of another and
a different oath, which they are required tC
take, and which all who mean well to the
country can take. Men having no disabili
ties must take the iron clad" Those from
whom such disabilities, having existed, have
been removed, are not so required, and can
not be required to do so by the clerks who
administer the prescribed oath of Office
Spoon Butler must swallow the whole ugly
iron-clad animal, hoofs, horns and all. Bu
our own Tennessee Butler, being made over
again, and perfected as far as Radicalisn
can do it, need not