The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1862-05-29
Gen. Hunters Proclamation
Repudiated by the President.
By tie President Of the United States:


A PROCLAMATION.
Hhereas, There appears IN the public
prints what purports to be proclamation
of Major Genera. Hunter, in the words
and figures following, to wit:
HEADQUARTERS DEPT. OF THE SoUTH.
H1LToS HEAD, s. c., May 9, 1862.
GENERAL ORDERS, No 1.-THE three States
of Georgia, Florida, and South Carolina, COM
prising the Military Department 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 said United States, 1T became
military necessity to declare them under mar
tial law. This was accordingly done on the
25th day of April, 1862. Slavery and mar
tial law in a free country are altogether in
compatible. The persons in these three
States, Georgia, Florida, and South Carolina,
heretofore held as siaTes, are therefore decla-
red free.
TOficial.1 DAVID HUNTER,
Mai. Gen. Commanding.
Ed. VI. Smith, Acting Asst Adjt. Gen.
And ac7,ereas, The same is producing
some excitement and misunderstanding,
Therefore, !, Abraham Lincoln, Presi--
dent of the United States, proclaim ard
declare that the government oe the United
States had no knowledge or belief OF an
intention, on the part Of General Hunter,
to issue such proclamation, nor has 1t
yet any authentic information that the
document is genuine; and further, that
neither Gen. Hunter nor any other COM
mander or person has been authorized by
the government of the United STATES to
make proelamations declaring the slaves
of any State free, ands that the supposed
proclamation now in question, whether
genuine or false,.is altogether void, SO lar
as respects such declaration.
| further make known, that whether 1t
be competent for me as commander-ln-
chief of the army and navy, to declare the
slaves of any State or States free, and
whether at any time, or IN any case, lt
shall have become a necessity lndispensa-
bic to the maintenance Of the government
to exercise such supposed power, are
questions which, under my responsibility,
[ reserve to myself, and which | cannot
feel justified in leaving to the decision OF
commanders IN the field. These are to-
tally different questions from those OF pc
lice regulations in armies and camps.
On the 9th of March last, by special
message, recommended to Congress the
adoption of joint resolution, to be sub
stantially as follows
nResolue7, That the United States ought to
cooperate with any State which may adopt
gradual abolishment of slavery, giving 10
such State in its discretion TO compensats for
the inconvenience, public and private, pro-
duced by such change of system"
The resolution, in the language above
quoted, was adopted by large majorities
in both branches Of Congress, and now
stands an authentic, definite and solemn
proposal of the nation to the states and
people most immediately interestd in the
ubject matter. To the people OF these
states l now earnestly appeal. l do not
argue beseech you to make the argu-
ments for yourselves. You cannot, if you
would, be blind to the signs of the times.
| beg of you calm and enlarged consid-
Grafton of them, ranging, if it may be, far
above personal and partizan politics. This
proposal makes common cause for com
mon object, casting no reproaches upon
anv. 1t acts not the Pharisee. The
change it contemplstes would come gently
as the dews of Heaven, not rending or
wrecking anything. win you not en-
brace it? So much good has not been
done by one effort in all past time, as in
the Providence of G cd 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 hereunto
set my hand and caused the seal of the
United states to be affixed.
Done at the City of W ashington 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.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
By the President: -
WM. II SEWARD, Sec'y of State.