The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1861-04-25


ue following proclamation has been
issued by Jefferson Davis the so-called
President of the Seeding States:
MoNreoxrRr, April II. 1861
PROCLAMATION OF rHE Presidents OF
THE CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA.
Whereas, Abraham Lincoln, Presi-
dent of the United States, has, by
proclamation, announced the intention
of invading the oonfederacy with an
armed force, for the purpose Of cap
turing its fortresses and thereby sub
svertingits indepeadence and subjecting
the free people thereof to the dominion
Of foreign power; and whereas, "
has thus become the duty OF this gov
ernment- to repei tile threatened In
vasion and defend the rights and liber-
ties of the, people. by all tile means
which the laws Of nations and the
nsages of civilized warfare place at its
disposal: ssffrs 4sassn hge sssfs re
Now, therefore, /, Jefferson Davis,
President of the Confederate States OF
America. do issue this, my proclama-
ton, inyiting all those who may desire,
by service in private armed. vessels on
the high seas, to aid this government
in resisting SO wanton and wicked an
aggression, to make application for
commissions or letters of marque and
reprisal, to be issued under the seal OF
the Confederate States 3 and / do
further notify all persons applying for
letters Of marque, to make a statement
in writing, giving the name and suita-
bic description of the character, ton
age and force of the vessel, name of
the place of residence of each owner
concerned therein, and the intended
number of crew, and to sign each state
ment, and deliver the same to the Sec
rotary of State or collector of the port
of entry of these Confederate States,
to be by him transmitted to the Secre-
tary of State, and / do further notify
all applicants aforesaid, before any
commission or letter of marque is is
sued to any vessel, or the owner or
the owners thereof, and the command
err for the time being, they will be re-
quired to give tonds to. the Confederate
States. with ut least two responsible
sureties mot interested in such vessel,
10 the penal sum of five thousand dol
lars, or if such vessel be provided with
more than one hundred and fifty men
then in the penal sum of ten thousand
dollars, with the condition that the
owners, officers and crew who shall be
employed on board such commissioned
vessel shall observe the laws of these
Confederate States, and the instruc-
lions given them for, the regulation of
their conduct, that shall satisfy all
damages done contrary to the tenor
thereof by suchvessel during her COM
mission, and deliver up the same when
revoked by the President of the Con-
federate States. And / do further
enjoin on all persons holding Office,
civil or military, under the authority
of the Confederate States, that they be
vigilant and jealous in the discharge OF
the duties incident thereto; and 1 do,
more, exhort the good people of these
Confederate States, as they love their
country--as they prize the blessings OF
Lc0 SObt lCCi tuC
wrongs of the past, and those now
threatened in an aggravated form by
those whose enmity is more implacable,
becausedunprovoked--they exert them
selves in preserving order, in promot-
ing concord, in maintaining the author
ity and efficacy of the laws, and in sup.
porting, invigorating all the measures
which may be adopted for a common
defense, and by which, under the bles-
sings of Divine Providence, we hone
for q speedy, just and honorable>pea
In witness whereof, l have set INV
hand and have caused the the seal of the
G0nfedefxfe States of America to be
attached this seventeenth day of April
IN the year of our Lord, one thousand
eight hundred and sixsy'one.
1e9E3 = JEFFERSON DAVIS
IaaBEHr TOXINS. Secretary of State.