The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1881-07-28
now OFFICIALS swEAR.


IN OtWefent C0U0USeo.
New York Timesl
A comparison of the official oaths Of
several countries, aprOp0s Of the Brad
laugh affairs, Is not unintefestlng.
France demands no oath, nor even any
equivalent formality, before her Leg
islatOrs enter upon their duties. Even
under the empire, the Deity was not
called upon, the simple formula being:
81 swear fidelity to the Emperor and
the constitution In Austria, also,
there IL no oath, but, In reply to
question from the President Of the
Reichstrath whether the new member
"prOmises loyalty and obedience to the
Emperor, inviOable observance Of the
constitution, a. well as the laws, and
conscientious fulfillment of his duty"
the new member simply replies: II
promise" The reason that the mem.
bers Of the German Parliament take
no oath, IL that many Of them are I'M
der an oath of allegiance to their respec.
tive states In the German confedera-
arise IL two Oaths were insisted upon.
The Prussian members Of Parliament
take an oath beginning II swear by
God the omnlpotent and Omniscent,"
and ending 80 may God help me"
As II this was not enough, those who
choose, 1t Is provided, may add.
Through Jesus Christ to eternal bliss,
amen" The Spanish Deputies are put
through something OF a catechism.
The Secretary asks them: do you
swear to observe, and to make others
observe the constitution Of the Spanish
monarchy? DO you swear obedience
to the legitimate King Of spain, Alton
70 XII? DO you swear well and true
to behave in the mission cOnfided to
you by the nation, always and In
everything seeking the welfare Of the
natiOn?,, The expected answer Ia,
"Yes, do swear" and the replication
IL, "If you do so, may God reward
you, and IL you do not, may He call
yOut to account" In 1879, il may be
said, Senior CASTELAR, and fifteen others
were the Bradlaughs Of Spain, but
their objections were not based on the
religious or irreligious grounds. In
Italy the President of the Chamber Of
Deputies says with elaborate polite
ness, ~ invite the honorable gentle
man to take oath In the form follow
ing: Il swear to be faithful to the
King and to observe loyalty to the
fundamental statue and the other laws
of the state, with single view to the
inseparable welfare of the King and
the country" The new Deputy re-
spends with the single word "Giurgo,"
Il swear.) The oath TO which NJ.
BradlAugh ohlects seems harmless
enough. Il re6ds:
81 do swear that I will Be faithful
and bear allegiance to her Majesty,
Queen Victoria, her heirs and snccess-
ors according to law 80 help me God"
Obviously, any man who believes In
God, whether Jew, Mohammedan or
Christian, might honorably assent to
every letter Of this oath. And, 80 too,
of course, might any man who believes
in no God at all. For him the oath
lacks its usual sanction, and scrupulOus
honor might lead him to point this out
at the time of complying with the GUS
tom OF oath taking; but there can be
no doubt that dozens, perhaps scores,
of other members Of Parliament do not
agree with Mr.. Bradlaugh in the view
Of the subject. He, having explained
his position once for all, can not be ex.
pected to be forever explaining and
Directing, and SO cannot be blamed
for swearing. The United States, It Is
generally known, have two Oaths, but
their precise forms are familiar.