Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Iowa) 1861-1864, 1862-05-29
Presidents Proclamation.

The President issued the following
proclamation on the 18th instant
WHEREAS, There appears in the public
prints, what purports to be procla.
nation of Maj. Gen. Hunter; and
whereas, the same is producing
some excitement and misunder.
standing:
Therefore, I, Abraham Lincoln, Pres
idcnt of the United States, proclaim
and declare that the Government OF
the United States had no knowledge
or belief of an intention on the part oil
Gen. Hunter to issue such proclama.
ton, nor has it yet any authentic in.
formation that the document is genu.
inc and farther, that neither General
Hunter, nor any other Commander OF
person, has been authorized by the
Government of the United States to
make proclamation declaring the
slaves of any State free, and that the
slaves Of any State free, and that the
supposed proclamation now in ques
ton, whether genuine or false, is alto.
gether void so far as respects such
declaration.
further make known that, whether
it be competent for me as Commander
in-Chief of the Army and Navy, to de
clare the slaves of any State or States
free, and whether at any time or ir
any case it shall become a necessity
indispensable to the maintenance O
the Government to exercise such sup
posed power, are questions which
under my responsibility / reserve te
myself, and which | cannot feel justi
fled in leaving to the decision of com.
manders in the field. These are total
ly different operations from those oil
police regulations in armies and
camps. .. ....a.- ...
On the 9th day Of March last, by @
special message, l recommended tc
Congress the adoption of joint reso
luton, to be substantially as follows
Resolved That the United States ought te
cooperate with any State which may adopt q
gradual abolition of slavery, giving aid t.
such States in its discretion, to compensate fol
the inconvenience, public and private, pro
duced by such change of system. "..
The resolution on the language
above quoted was adopted by large
ma jorities in both branches of Con
gress and now stands an authentic
definite and solemn proposal of the ma
ton to the States and people most in
terested in the subject matter. TO the
people of these States now earnestly
appeal, do not argue, / beseech you
to make the arguments for yourselves
You cannot, if you would, be blind tc
the signs of the times. l beg Of you
calm and enlarged consideration oI
them, ranging, if it may be, far above
personal and party politics. This pro-
posaI makes common cause for com.
mon object Casting no reproaches
upon any, it acts not the Pharisee.
The change it contemplates would
come gently as the dews of Heaven,
not rendimg or wrecking anything.
Will you not embrace it. So much
good has not been done by one effort
in all past time as in the Providence
of God it is now your high privilege
to do. May the vast future not have
to lament that you have neglected it.
In witness whereof, | have hereuntc
set my hand, and caused the seal ol
the United States to be annexed.
Done at the city of Washington, this
10th day of May, in the year of oul
Lord one thousand eight hundred ant
sixty two, and of the independence o.
the United States, the eighty.sixth.
A. LINCOLN.
BY the President:
WIZ. Ii. SEWARD, Sec'y of State.