The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1870-09-03
Letter frenn Geo. Dixon.


In response to the question of Demo
crat" asking if L had any disabilities that
would prevent me from taking my seat if
honOred with an election by the people of
the 8th Congressional District, l would
State that fully appreciate the Importance
of the question, as l think no one should
offer himself as a candidate about whose
eligibility to take his seat any serious ques-
ton could be raised. l therefore proceed to
| answer Democrat" and in doing so deem
it proper to embody in my reply the vari-
Gus acts Of Congress, and the fourteenth
amendment Of the Constitution. The act
of July 2, 1862, usually called the iron
clad is in these words;
| l, a. B, do solemnly swear (or AFFIRM
that [ have never voluntarily born arms
| against the United States since / have been
a citizen thereof; that l have voluntarily
| given no aid, cOuntenance, counsel or en-
couragement to persons engaged in armed
hostility thereto; that l have neither
sought, nor accepted, nor attempted to exer
else the functions Of any office whatever,
under any authority. or pretended authority
in hostility to the United States; that |
have not yielded voluntary support to any
pretended government, authority, power or
constitution, within the United States, hos
tile or inimical thereto, and l do further
swear Cor afirm) that to the best of my
knowledge and ability, l will support and
defend the Constitution of the United
States against all enemies, foreign and do
nestle; and that | will bear true faith and
allegiance to the same; that take this Ob
legation freely, without any mental reSerV
ton or purpose of evasion and that [ will
we'll and faithfully discharge the duties of
the Office on which | am about o enter, SO
help me God.
The act further prescribing that any per
son - falsely taking the oath shall be guilt y
| of perjury, and on conviction, In addition
to the penalties now prescribed for the Of
Tense, shall be deprived of his Office and
rendered incapable for ever after of holding
any Office or place under the United States.
This oath and penalty applies to every per-
son that has given aid, countenance, cOun-
sci or encouragement to persons engaged in
armed hostility to the Government of the
United States.
This oath l could not take.
In June, 1866, the following was passed
as an amendment to the Constitution Of the
United States, and having been adjudSed to
have been passed by the required number
of States was on the 10Th July 1868, pro-
: mulged by the Secretary of State as the
; I4th amendment to the Constitution
No person shall be Senator or Repre-
sentative in Congress, or eiector of Presi
dent and Vice President, or hold an office
civil or military, under the United States, OF
under any State, vino, having previously
taken an oath as a member of Congress, or
los off Of faH or q
member of any State legislature, or as an
executive or judicial officer of any State, tC
support the Constitution of the United
States shall have engaged in instruction OF
rebellion against the same, or given aid OF
, comfort to the enemies thereof; but Con
! gress may, by a vote Of two thirds of each
T House, remove such disability"
Under this amendment, having held the
Office of Judge of the Common Law and
Chancery Court of the city of Memphis, and
] having previously taken an oath as such
5 judge to support the Constitution of the
? United States, | would not have been able
e to hold the Office of Representative in Con
/ gress without having the disabilities men
q toned removed by vote of two thirds OF
each house of Congress. By an act o.
Congress of February, 1870, passed by {
:. vote of two-thirds of each house, my dis
C abilities, with those of W. T. Avery, NJ. j
| Wright, J. E. r. Ray, and a number o.
| | other gentlemen of West Tennessee, were re
: moved as provided in the latter part of the
d Fourteenth amendment, by which we were
= enabled to take and hold any Office, civil OIL
i military. under the United States or State o.
,. tennessee. By the 4th section of the law
t in relation to the taking the oaths of Office
s as prescribed by Congress, passed July II
r 1869, Brightly digest, it is enacted.
n Whenever any person who has particI
pated in the late rebellion, and from whom
J, all legal disabilities arising therefrom have
# been removed by act of Congress by vote
Q of two thirds of each house, has been OF
o shall be elected or appointed to any Office Oh
e place of trust in or under the Government
t of the United States, he shall, before enter
s ing upon the duties thereof instead of the
!, oath prescribed by the act of July 2, 1862
take and subscribe the following oath OF
affirmation: 4, A. B., do solemnly swear
4 Cor AFFIRM that l will support and defend
{ the Constitution of the United States against
: all enemies, foreign and domestic; that
will bear true faith and allegiance to the
same that l take this obligation freely
( without any mental reservation or purpose
of evasion, and that l will we'll and faith
fully discharge the duties of the Office on
which ! am about to enter. So help me
? God
! Then I conclude that my disabilities
G having been removed by vote of two-thirds