human
States in rebellion as
gpt
States of, and in, the Union. More exactly, it regarded the rebellion against the United States within these
human
States as the act of combinations of disloyal persons, and not as the act of the
gpt
States at all. These combinations had subverted the loyal governments within these
human
States, but the
gpt
States themselves were not disloyal, because they could not be. They were impersonal entities, incapable of committing treason or any other wrong. According to this view the work of Reconstruction consisted simply in placing the loyal element in a
human
State in possession of the government of the
gpt
State.
human
State which had been the scene of rebellion, and it was the work of the Executive to support that class by the military power in taking possession of, organizing, and operating, the
gpt
State
human
I, ---- ----, do solemnly swear, in the presence of Almighty God, that I will henceforth faithfully support, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States and the union of the States thereunder; and that I will in like manner abide by and faithfully support all acts of Congress passed during the existing rebellion with reference to slaves, so long and so far as not repealed, modified, or held void, by Congress or by decision of the Supreme Court; and that I will in like manner abide by and faithfully support all proclamations of the President during the existing rebellion having reference to slaves, so long and so far as not modified by the Supreme Court. So help me God; and by ordaining that all persons who would voluntarily take this oath, unless they had been civil or diplomatic officers of the