The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1880-07-22
The Use of Oaths,

The London Standard publishes the
following summary of the declarations
of allegiance made by members of the
legislatures of the countries mentioned :
In France, since the abolition Of the en-
pire on the fourth of September, 1870, no
oath or affirmation has been admins
tered in any form to members OF the
legislature of the republic. Nor is
there any formality which might be re-
garded as an equivalent. Under, the
empire new members made declara-
ton to the following effect: Il swear
| fidelity to the emperor and the constl-
tuition" But the name of the Deity was
| not included.
The members of the German parlia
ment take no oath, nor do they make
any affirmation whatsoever. The MEM
bers of the Prussian. and most other
state parliaments, take an oath of 10y
atty beginning with the words: Il
swear by God the Omnipotent and
Omniscient," and concluding with the
words, $50 may God help me-" To
this latter formula those who wish it
may add, "through Jesus Christ, to
eternal bliss, Amen" Any one refusing
to take the oath, or commenting upon
! it would undoubtedly be excludes from
the Prussian and other state parlia
ments. In conformity. however, with
the laws regulating the administration
ofnoaths in civil and criminal courts,
an exception would be made in the
case of persons belonging to recognized
theistic religious communities, who,
like certain Mennonite and Jewish
sects, regard the name of the Deity as
too awful to be invoked in the trans
action of secular business. In these
cases simple affirmation wou d be re-
garded as equivalent to an oath. The
ON ssion of any oath in the German
parliament is occassioned by the wish
to avoid the delicate question as to the
amount of loyalty due to the emperor,
in contradistinction to state severeigns.
By the law passed on the 18th of May,
1868, Parliamentary, oaths were abol-
ished in Austria, and simple affirma-
| tion was substituted. The first para
graph of the standing orders of the A Is
trian reichsrath reads as follows:
New members, on entering either of
the two houses, have, on the presidents
challenge, in piece of taking an oath,
to promise loyalty and obed .ence to the
emperor, inviolable observance OF the
constitution, as well as of all other
laws, and concientious fulfillment of
their duties" Upon the president
reading words to this effect, the new
member simply replies, Il promise"
Articles thirty.seven and thirty-eight
Of the rules Of the Spanish congress say
that deputies, before they can Ike their
seats, shall make the following oath,
which is read aloud by the secretary of
the congress, all present standing: "Do
you swear to observe, and make Others
observe, the constitution Of the Span
ish monarchyp Do you swear fidelity
and obedience to the legitimate King OF
Spain, Alfonso KIP Do you swear
well and truly to behave in the mis-
sion confded to you by the nation
always and in everything seeking
the welfare Of the nationp" The
deputies then. two at a tine, ap,
proach the table of the president. and
kneeling on his right hand, he remain
ing sitting, they place their hands on the
Gospels lying open before them, and
say, "Yes, 1 do swear;" and the presi-
dent then answers: " If you do so, may
God reward you, and, if not, may he
call you 10 account"
The president of the Italian chamber
of deputies, seeing q new deputy in his
place says: Il invite the honorable
gentleman to take the oath in the form
following: ] swear TO be faithful 10
the king, and to observe loyalty the
| fundamental statute aud the other laws
of the state, with single view to the
insCparable welfare of the king and the
country" The new deputy then, IN
his place, stretches out his right hand
and pronounceS the one word, "Giuro,
| CI sWear.m