The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1862-05-20
By THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
A PROCLAMATION.

Whereas, there appears in the public prints
what purports to be a proclamation by Maj.
Gen. Hunter in the words and figures following,
to wit:
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH, !
HILTON HEAD, s. G. May 9, 1862.
GENERAL ORDERS NO. H.
1.-The three states of Georgia, Florida, and
South Carolina, comprising the Military Depart
ment of the South, having deliberately declared
themselves no longer under the protection of
the United States of America. and having taken
up arms against the United States, it becomes
military necessity to declare them under mar
tial law. This was accordingly done on the
18th day of April, 1862. Slavery and martial
law in Il; free country arc altogether incompat-
BILE. The persons in these three states, Georgia,
Florida, and South Carolina, heretofore held as
slaves, are therefore declared forever free.
[Othciai. ''DAvID HUNTER,
Maj Gen. Commanding.
ED. W. Smith, Acting Assistant Adjutant
General
citement and misunderstanding, Therefore, |,
Abraham Lincoln, President of the United
States, proclaim and declare that the Govern
ment of the United States has no knowledge or
| belief Of an intention on the part of Gen. HUI
ter to issue such q proclamation, nor has it yet
any authentic information that the document
is genuine and, further, that Gen. Hunter nor
any other Commander or person has been au-
| thorzcd by the Government OF the United States
to make proclamation declaring the slaves of
any State free, and that the supposed proclama-
ton, now in question, whether genuine or false,
is altogether void so far as respects such decla-
ration. | further make known that whether
it is competent Tor me, as commander in-chief
of the army and navy to declare the slaves OF
any State or States free, and whether a, any
time, or in case it shall have become necessity
indispensable to the maintenance of the Gov
erment to exercise such power, are questions
which under my responsibility | reserve to my
self, and which cannot feel justified in leaving
to the decisions OF commanders in the field
These are totally different questions from those
of police regulations in armies and camps. On
the 9TH day Of March last by Il special message
| recommended to Congress the adoption of d
d. iuint resolution to be substantially as follows
Resolved, That the United States ought tC
cooperate with any State which may adopt
gradual adjustment OF slavery, giving to sucl
State in its discretion Tor the compensation TO
Inconvenience, public and private, produced b,
such change OF system.
The resolution in the language above quote,
| was hHu III DOll
es OF Congress, ana now stands an authentic
definite and solemn proposal Of the Nation L
the States and people most immediately interest
cd in the subject matter.
To the people OF these States now earnest
ly appeal. | do not argue, | beseech you, t
, make the argument Tor yourselves. You cannot
if you would, be blind to the signs of the times
beg OF you calm and enlarged considerable
of them, ranging, if 1t may be, far above pei
sonal and partizan politics.
This proposal makes common cause for
common object casting no reproaches upon any
; 1t acts not the Pharisee The change it cor
templates would come gently as the dews c
Heaven. not rending or wrecking anything. -
Will you not embrace it? So much good h.
not been done by our effort in all past time
=. in the providence Of God it is your high priv
l legc to do. May the vast future not have
lament that you have neglected 1t.
r In witness whereof, | have hereunto set N
= band and caused the Seal o. the United Stat,
to be affixed.
Done ~ the City of Washington, this 49,
day Of May, in the year OF our Lord one tho,
: sand eight hundred and sizty-two, and OF tt
n independence Of the United States the eght,
n sixth. ABRAHAM LINCOLN
@ BY the President.
o WM IL. SEWARD, Sec'y Of State.