The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1872-05-02
State and District Conventions.
The Important Matter of Eli.
gibIIffy i'm the Nomination
of Candidates.

gibiIffy i'm the Nomination
of Candidates.
1t will deyoive on the State Conven-
ton of the opposers of Radical misrule,
to appoint delegates to the National Con-
ventioR, and to nominate an electoral
ticket for the Presidential election, con-
sisting of one member from each Con-
gressional District, and two from the
State at large. This ticket will be voted
for by the whole body Of electors, how
ever, without reference to districts.
The Congressional election will take
place in the fall, and we presume that,
Notwithstanding the disgraceful gerry
mander by which all considerations of
geographical propinquity and community
of interest, were subordinated by the
nongrels, to the purpose Of electing
from their own ranks, five of the six
Congressman to which the State is emit
tled-an earnest effort will be made in
the several districts, to defeat the
schemes Of the plotters.
In making selection of candidates, we
infer that each district viii hold a sepa-
rate Convention, so as to bring into the
field man of its own choiee-or to adopt
such other course in the canvass as cir
cumstances may dictate to those whom
it will most concern. In some instances
il may be deemed wisest for the Demo
Gratis and Conservatives to abstain from
nominating, and to cast their votes for
the most acceptable candidate of the OPP
position.
In nominating candidates for the Elec-
toral College and for Congress, we desire es-
pecially 10 urge our political friends not
TO lose sight Of the important matter Of eligi-
biLity. Section 81 of the 18th Amend
ment prescribes;
No person shall be Senator or ReIresen-
tatice in Congress. or EIectOr NJ President or
Fice President, or hold any office. civil or
military. in the United States, or under any
State. who, having taken an oarh a. Il mem
Der of Congress. or a an officer OF the
United states, or a. Il member of any State
Legislature. or as an executive or Judicial
tuition OF the United States, shall have en-
gagged in insurrection or rebellion against
the same, or given aid or comfort to the en-
emies thereof, but Congress by two-thirds
vote OF each house, may remove such disa-
bility.
Under this clause no person who has
held State or Federal Office before the
war, and afterwards aided the Confeder-
acy, will be eligible 10 the Electoral Coll
lege or to Congress, unless his disabili-
tiles have been removed.
For members of Congress and all 9TH
er incumbents Of Federal Offices, of what
ever description, the iron-clad oath is
prescribed as follows:
That hereafter, every person electedi or
appointed to any Office of honor or profit,
under the government Of the United States, e.
Their ia me ciUt(. HtiltGyg or RdUdl departments
Of The public Serrice. snail. before entering
on the duties of such office. take and sub
scribe the following oath:
| do sOlemnly swear that / have never
voluntarily borne arms against the United
States since have been a citizen thereof;
that have voluntarily given no aid, coun-
tenance. counsel or encouragement to per-
sons engaged in armed hostility thereto;
that have never sought, nor accepted, nor
attempted To exercise the functions of any
Office whatever under any authority in hos
tili-y to the United States; that l have not
yielded voluntary support To any pretend
ed government, authority, power or consti
tuition within the United States hostile
thereto.
This sweeping oath excludes from Con
gress (and from any other official posi-
ton in the Federal service) all persons
who aided the Confederate cause, or re-
cognized its authority by discharging the
functions of office under the Confedera-
cy, whether they had ever previously Ia
ken an oath to support the Constitution
of the United States or not. 1t applies
as well to the beardless boy who. at sew
enteen years of age, shouldered his mus
ket and marched to the battle field, as to
the Commander in Chief of the Confed-
crate army, who had previously held office
under the United States for quarter of
a century. And it proscribes persons of
both classes from Federal service under
the existing order, unless their disabili-
ties have been removed, in which case
a modified oath setting forth the facts, is
required to be subscribed in lieu of the
iron-clad
With this data before them, no mistake |
need be committed by the opposers of |
Radicalism in the nomination of Electors
for President and Vice President, and of |
for Congress. Let them take
care that none but eligible persons are
Nor must anything be trusted |
to the pledges of the party in power to
remove political disabilities. The case
of Gov. Vance, of North Carolina, and |
other examples of Radical perfdy which |
have come nearer home to us, cannot be
The fruits of a victory in
a good cause should not be sacrificed to |
desire to reward personal favorites or to
partisan service.
'>COrruPE and incapable