St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1862-05-22

A PROCLAMATION. :.
WHEREAS. The appears in the public
prints v hat purports to be proclamation
Of Major General Hunter; and whereas,
the same is producing some excitement
and Misunderstanding: ~s>@*>~ n. e.
Therefore, /, Abraham Lincoln, Prsi-
dent Of the United States, ploclaim and
declare that the Government Of the Uni.
ted States had no knowledge orbclief Of an
intention on tho part Of Gen Hunter to
issue such proclamation, nor has it yet
any authentic Information that the docu.
meht IA genuine; and farther, that neither
General Hunter, nor any other Commander
or person, has been authorised by the
Government Of the United States to make
proclamation declaring the slaves Of any
State tree, aud that the supposed proc|a'
nation now in question, :hether genuine
or false, is altogether void so far as respects
such declaration.
! further make k.own that. whether it
b, competent 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 u in any case it shall
become necessity indispensable with the
maintenance Of the Government to exercise
such supposed power, are questions which
under my responsibility reserve to myself
and which I cannot feel justified in leaving
to the decision of commanders in the field
These are totally different questions from
those of police regulations in armies and
camps. . 60.
On the 9th day of March last, ty spe-
cial message, recommended to Congress
the adoption Of resolution, to be substan-
TALLY as follows
Resolve1, That the United States ought to
cooperate with any State which ma. adopt q
gradual abolition Of Slaverv, giving aid to
such States in its discretion, to compensate
for the Inconvenience, public and 2Iivate,
produced ty such change Of system.
The resolution on the language above
quoted was adopted by large pajorities in
both branches Of Congress and now stands
an authentic, definite anu svlemn proposal
Of the nation to the States and people most
interested in the subject matter. TO che
people of these States how earnestly up
peal. l do not argue, beseech you to
make the argument yourselves. You can
not, if you would, BE- blind to the signs OF
the times. beg of you calm and en-
larged consideration of them, ranging, if
it may be, far above personal aud party
politics. This proposal makes a common
cause for common object. Casting no
reproaches upon any. it acts not the Phari-
see. The change it contemplates would
come gently as the dews Of Heaven, not
rending or wrecking anything. Will you
not embrace it Sc much good has not
been done by one effort in all past time us
in the Providence of God it is now your
high privilege to do. May the vast future
not have to lament that you have neglect
ed it.
In witness whereof, have hcreunto sci
my hand, and caused the seal Of the Uni.
ted States to be annexed.
Done at the citv Of Washington, this
10th day Of May. in the year Of our Lord
one thousand eight hundred and sixty.two
and Of the independence Of the United
States, the eighty sixth.
[Signej,1 ABRAHAM LINCOLN,
tsY the President, WM. H. SEWARD,
Secretary Of State