St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1904-11-30

fairs would bejustly administered, would
secure and protect the rights of every
citizen, of the poor as we'll as the rich.
It is true, however, that the oath is
often hurriedly and carelessly admins
tered and leaves but slight impression
| upon the mind of the taker.
Yet think it must be conceded that the
oath has strong restraining force upon
voters, executive, legislative, judicial and
other officers, in all the departments OF
| civic life. After many years experience
/ in the judicial department. w here the oath
/ is in daily and almost hourly use, in my
| Judgment, the oath has much N ore po-
| tency for the right in the administration
otjustice, than is thought by a careless on
| locker. There are few judges, witnesses,
jurors, or attorneys engaged in the trial
OF causes. and administering Justice, who
| do not feel the restraining influence OF the
oath, or who deliberately and knowingly
violate its provisions. The infirmitiss OF
| human nature are such, and so great,
that those having the obligations OF the
| oath resting upon them are often mis-
| taken, honestly mistaken, and believe
| what they utter, when the fact may be
/ otherwise than stated by them, and the
| careless onlooker verify believes they
/ have deliberately and wIlfully committed
/ PERU y.
/ At the foundation of the conservative
| force Of all oaths required in the admins
/ tration of state and national govern
/ ment are the oath of the freeman or
/ voter and the oath of naturalization.
| These WELD the sovereignty ofthe states
Rand nation, make and unmake, directly
or indirectly, all officers, executive, legis-
lative and judicial, from the highest to
the lowest. 1t would seem but just and
i right that these oaths should be required
| tosbe so taken and administered that the
| taker should fully understand the obliga-
| tons he takes upon himself, and should
carry with him vivid recollection and
| impression of the oath taken. Why
| should not the native born voter, when
| being qualified to enter upon the import
| ant duties OF life EXPIRE ssed in the freeman
oath, be required to memorize and repeat
| to the authority administering it the
| the freeman's oath? Much more, why
| should not an alien, desiring to become
! citizen voter, be required TO memorize
| and repeat 1T to the authority admins
| teripg the oath of naturalization He
comes from foreign country and pre-
sumablv is not fully imbued with the
| spirit of our government and 1nst1tu-
| tlonS. Is 1T not much more important
| that these oaths, w hlch qualify the voter
to enter upon the trust which he then
assumes for himself and all other citizens
who are not permitted to vote, should be
recorded in the memory of the voter,
| rather than on the records OF the au-
| thority administering it +?
The duties and responsibilities of these
| voters are so grave and important
| that they should be fully understood, and
| the voter have them constantly In mind.
Yet with all the expense that is incurred
to educate and train the young people
| that they may become good and worthy
citizens, is it not surprising that so little
attention is paid to their education in
the nature and sanctity of the oath and
| in the duties and responsibilities OF The
| voter This state expends million OF
| dollars yearly for their education and to
| prepare them to become good citizens.
| How much is expended by the other
states have not ascert aimed, but it is a
| very large sum. To make them good
| citizens, instr uciion should be required to
be given in all public schools on the ma
ture and obligations OF the ireeman's
oath, on the duties and responsibilities
| which it requires and imposes. Until
| within few years, no instruction has
| been given in ciyics. Latterly, general
| instruction on the subj, ct of Gives is
| given in some of the public schools; =
| such as explains the three departments
in the state and national governments,
how created, organized and carr, ed on.
In any works on GIVES, used IN these
schools. which have come to my atten-
| ton, little, ii anything, is said OF the ma
| ture and obligation OF the oath, nor OF
| the Importance it has in our system of
| government. nor ofthe duties and obiiga-
| tions 1t imposes upon voters and officers.
| The country has recently been vocal with
political reasons urging the voters to
cast their ballots in favor of one or the
other political party. The press and
rostrum has been in daily use for this
purpose but did they explain to the
| voters that they exercise this right,
guided by their oath as freemen, and
under the duties and obligations imposed
by it? a
| In governmental matters, state and
| national, protection and allegiance are
reciprocal and interdependent. Every
| citizen, native-born or naturalized, male
or female, whether arrived at majority
or not, owes allegiance to his state and
nation. because protected by them, In
| rights, IN person and IN property. Be
cause OF protection he owes the duty to
defend the government and it's inter ests,
| even with his lite. This duty rests upon
| all citizens of whatever class, sex or con-
| dition in life Only able bodied men, be-
| tween certain ages, are usually called to
| perform this duty. But the same power
| that req u1res 1t.of this class may require 1t
of men, not able bodied, OF every age. OF
females and of minors even.' They re-
ceive its protection and owe it the duty
to defend and keep it pure, healthy and
| strong against all Toes, external and in
| ternal. Because a government of the
| people, the sovereignty Of the state and
nation rests in all citizens who have the
right to demand protection. Therefore.
they owe allegiance or the duty to obey,
| to defend, and to help enforce the con-
| stitutions and laws established tor their
protection. Constitutions and laws are
enacted for their protection bt cause tht y
owe allegiance. The right to vote is not
personal right, but representative
trust to be exercised, not alone for the
voters protection and enjoyment, but
for the protection of the lite, liberty, and
i property of every bum blest citizen. The