The daily Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1862-1863, 1862-10-25
BY THE PREsIDENTO OF THE UNI
TED STATES OF AMERICA.

TED STATES OF n EItlOAs
aHI A PRocLAMATION-No Is. : -.
WHEREAS there appears in. the public prints yhat
purports 70 DO proclamation Of Major Genera
Hunter, in the words and figures following, to
HaEADQuasrrasl pErAnrnEsr OF THE sotraa. u
Hilton Head, s. c., May 8, 1867.
General Orders No 1.-The three States Of Geor-
gia, Florida, and south Carolina, comprising the
military department of the South, having deliber-
stely declared themselves no longer under the pro-
lection Of the United States Of America, and has-
ing taken up arms against this said United States,
1t becomes military necessity to declare them un-
25th day Of April, 1862. Slavery and martial law
IN a free country are altogether inconpatbIe; the
persons in these three states - Georgia. Florida,
and South Carolina heretofore held as slaves, are
therefore declared forever free. al - .f2
(Oficiel 1900 DAVID HUNTER,
t-Nil Major General Commanding.
Ed. W SMITH, Acting A Assistant Adpt Gen'l
And whereas the same il producing some excite
ment and misunderstanding, therefore - Az = ~
ABRAHAM LINCOLN, President of the Uni
ted States, proclaim and declare, that the Govern
ment Of the United States had knowledge, in
formation, or belief of intention on the part Of
General Hunter to issue such proclamation; nor
has it any authentic information that the document
is genuine And further, that neither General
Hunter, nor any other commander, person, has
been authorized by the Government Of the United
States to make proclamations declaring the slaves
Of any State free; and that the supposed proca-
nation, now in question, whether genuine false,
altogether void, 50 far as respects such decarn-
ton. 5000 ~ -Es
l further make known that whether it be compe-
tent for me, as Commander -in-Chief of the Army
and Navy, to declare the slaves of any State or
States free, and whether, at any time, in any case,
it shall have become necessity indispensable to the
maintenance OF the Government, to exercise such
supposed power, are qucstnons which, under my
responsibility, reserve to myself, and which
cannot feel justified in leaving TO the decision OF
commanders in the field These are totally differ
emit questions from those Of police regulations in
ARMIES and camps.
On the sixth day of March last. by a special mes
sage, i recommended to Congress the adoption Of
Joint re solution to be substantially as follows:
Resolued, That the United States ought TO co-op-
crate with any State which may adopt gradual
ry aid to be used by such STATE in its discretion to
compensate for the Inconvenience, public and prf
waite, produced by such CHI .nge of system.
The resolution, in the language above quoted,
was adopted by large majorites in both branches Of
Congress, and now stands an authentic, definite,
and solemn proposal of he nation to the States and
people most Immediately interested in the subject
matter. To the people of those StatesI earn
| estly appeal do not :argue-I beseecA you to
| make the arguments for yourselves 7 on cannot,
/ if you would, be blind to the signs of the times
beg of you calm and enlarged consideration OF
| them, ranging, if may be, far above personal and
| parti san politics. This proposal makes common
| cause for common object casting no reproaches
upon any 1t acts not the Pharisc9. The change
| it contemplates would come gently as the dews OF
| heaven, not rcndinglor wrecking anything Will
you not embrace it So much good has not been
| uOue, Dy one eHOTt, III pdot tilie, dr. ~ hko
providence of God it is your high privilege to
do. May the vast future not have to lament that
| you have neglected it
In witness whereof have hereunto set my hand
and caused the seal of the United States to be ax
ed ttN " stA% = i5t "a W
Done at the City of Washington, this nine
| tenth day of May, in the year of our Lord
H. s. one thousand eight hundred and sixty two,
i and of the Independence of the United
States the eighty sixth. ~ eIa.h 8
- ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
BY the President:
| WILLIAM H. SEWARD, Secreta ny of State.