New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-01-06

some pride Of character, and all the quail
ties that make manhood honorable. In its low
est relation it aflixes pains and penalties to I'M
truthfulness, and makes it crime. In what
ever relation considered, the simple act Of TAX
ing an oath. the lifting up of the hand or kiss
ing of the book, is business of great seriousness.
1t is not mere mouthing of words that
have no significance, nor compliance
with meaningless usage, nor acqulescence
in an empty form, nor Difference to
established custom, nor anything, except
an appeal to all that is true and pure in con-
seriousness and above it, for the absolute truth
of the~sTitness's words. That is not healthy
condition of society in which oaths are taken
carelessy, and without a sense little less than
oppressive of the responsibility incurred under
them. How much worse must it be when the
men who make tie laws, who formulate the
admiration by which witnesses are bound, and
who should be impressed with an unusual sense
of its meaning and weight, come up trippingy
to the book, and with nod wink. or laugh
make oath to what both they and their fellows
know to be untrue.
On Tuesday at Albany the oath OF Office
was administered to the members of the new
Legislature. Cutl llldH Cdiltu ooh w "i'h'''
that he had not directly nor indirectly paid
"oliered, or promised to contribute any money
"or other valuable thing as consideration OF
"reward for the giving or Withholding OF a
" vote at the election at which he was elected"
and that he chad not made any promise to
"inauencc the giving or Withholding OF any
"such vote" Report says that several men,
beers, as this clause was read, ex-
changed smiles and winks as in recognl-
ton of the fact that they were swearing
falsely, and showing in how light esteem they
held their own personal honor or the penalty
of perjury. 1t has been made matter of com
ment that these persons treated the whole
business with coarse leyity, as though perjury
was an everyday affair, and Oaths were taken
only to be broken and disregarded. They
looked each other calmly in the face, and
never blushed or showed the slightest sense of
shame as they swore by the living God, and
by their own integrity and their own man
hood, that they had not done what they
knew they had done openly, and what
they knew the spectators knew they
had done. And they winbed at each other
and Uttered among themselves as they con
summated their perjury with kiss upon the
book. There could be 10 more significant
comment upon the morality of our legislation
and the moral tone of our legislators than tins
frivolous and unseemly behavior OF the men
who were thus initiated with false oaths into
the duties of law-making. Here was neither
sense of honor nor capacity for shame; no APP
preheniion of the nature of the obligation
they assumed, nor any regard for the conse-
ouences of what the law calls a crime. Secure
ia what they believe to be public opinion on
the subject, they fear no penalty; neither the
law nor society will require it OF them. And
so they do their perjury, and laugh at 1t as @
joke.
Well, why did not some one ask these self
disclosed pcriurers standing there and making
a Jest of sacred truth. If they understood tho
nature of an oath What answer would they
have made What sort of an idea can these
fellows have Of the meaning OF the words Ut
tered To tlcm-thesc fellows who lie with their
tongues in their cheeks and wink as they make
oath to il, and sit down with a soggy, brutal
sort of notion that they have done something
funny7 Is it all farcel Does this oath have
any mcaningf If not, pray abolish it, Let lis
not tempt men to useless perjury If it does
have meaning, then let us have 1t treated with
at least some little regard for appearances, Tor
common decency. And if the lawmakers who
are required to take the oath are unable 10
behave with ordinary docorousness while 1t IA
beng administered, let the ceremony be per
formed in private where the public sense Will
not he a.IIontcd by the exhibition Of Legislators
making jest of the oath OF Office and
pastimo OF perjury.