To Messrs. H. B. Lane, Wm. E. Bradley and Prof. S. W. Somerville, Committee on History of the Common Council
"I, — — —, of the county of — — — and State of — — —, do solemnly. swear that I have never voluntarily borne arms against the United States. since I have been a citizen thereof; that I have voluntarily given no aid,. countenance, counsel or encouragement to persons engaged in hostility. thereto; that I have neither sought nor accepted, nor attempted to. exercise the functions of any office whatsoever under any authority or. pretended authority in hostility to the United States; that I have yielded. no voluntary support to any authority, pretended authority or constitution. within the United States inimical thereto. So help me God!"
Fredericksburg had no officer serving at that time who could take. such an oath! Some of the officers had, at some time during the war,. been active participants on the Confederate side, and those who. were too far advanced in age to enter the army had sympathized. with the Confederate cause and had otherwise aided it, therefore. every officer, from Mayor down to policeman, was removed and. their places supplied, in some few instances, by residents who took. the required oath, but in most instances the appointees were strangers. and citizens of Northern States, who had floated down South in. search of some office at the hands of the military commander.
Making the total bonded debt of the town $804,400
