Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-02-14
MODIFICATION OF THE IRON
CLAD OATH.

The bill prescribing the oath of office
TO be taken by persons who participated
in the late rebellion" but who are not
disqualified from holding Office by the
fourteenth amendment, has become law
without the approval of the President.
The ten days allowed him under the Con-
stitution to return the bill to Congress,
with his objections, if he intended 10
take that course, expired on Saturday,
the 18th inst. 1t was not vetoed, nor
was it signed, and hence has become
law without his formal approval. The
Washington Patriot expresses the opinion
that Grant would have used the veto, had
he had the moral coursge to carry out his
own vindictive purpose. He certainly
showed his malice in Withholding his sig
nature. The following is the text of the
law:
''Be it enacted by the Senate and
House of Representatives of the Uni ed
States of America in Congress assembled,
That when any person, who is not rem
dered ineligible to Office by the provisions
of the fourteenth amendment 10 the C. IL
stitution, shall be elected or appointed o
any office of honor or trust under the
government of the United States, and
shall not be able, on account of his par
ticipa,ion in the late rebellion, TO take the
oath prescribed in the act of Congress
approved the I'd of July, 1862, said per-
ssn shall, in lieu of said oath, before en-
tering upon the duties of said Office, take
and subscribe to the oath prescribed in an
act of Congress entitled Am act pre-
scribing an oath of office TO be taken by
persons from whom legal disabilities shall
have been removed approved 18th OF
July, 1863"
The following is the act of July II,
1868, to which the new law refers, and
which embodies the oath hereafter to be
taken by such Southern men as may be
elected to Congress or appointed 10 Office
under the government of the United
States, who are not disqualified from
holding Office under the third section of
the fourteenth amendment:
''Be it enacted by the Senate and House
of Representatives of the United States
of America in Congress assembled, That
whenever any person who has psrticips
ted in the late rebellion, and from whom
all legal disabilities arising therefrom
have been removed by act of Congress by
q vote of twO-thirds of each house, has
been or shall be elected or appointed to
any 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 prescribed by the act
of July, 2, 1862, take and subscribe the
following oath or affirmation: i, A. B.,
do solemnly swear Cor affirm that will
support snd 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 eva
sion; and that l will well and faithfully
discharge the duties of the office on
which am about TO enter. So help me
God"
1t will be observed that the act of
July II, 1868, was intended to qualify
those who were disqualified by the four
teenth amendment, and whose disabilities
should be removed by Congress, but not
those who were excluded by the iron-clad
oath. There are thousands of men in
the South who sympsthised with aad even
took part in the rebellion, who are moi
disqualified by the fourteenth amendment,
but they could not take the iron-clad oath.
The effect of the new law is to remove
the obstacles to holding Office by those
who are unable to take the iron-clad oath.
The new law virtually repeats the iron
clad oath as to ''Rebels," but not as tc
'Goyal Union men," The latter are still
required to take the iron-clad oath.