Daily Nashville union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1862, 1862-05-21
PROCLAMATION orsPREsIDENT
LINCOLN
General Hunter sepudlated,
WASHINGTON, May 10.

| NAShlNeTON, may ~.
The following proclamation was iasued
by the President to -day:
WHEREAS, The public prints publish
what purpOrts TO be a proclamation of
Major General Hunter, and whereas, the
same is producing some excitement and
misunderstanding, therefore, ], Abraham
Lincoln, President of the United States.
proclaim and declare that the Govern
ment of the United States had no knowl-
edge or belief of an intention on the part
of General Hunter to issue such a pro-
clamation, nor has il yet any authentic
information that the document is genuine.
and further that neither General Hunter
nor any other commander or person has
been authorized by the Government of
the United States to make proclamation
declaring the slaves Of any State free,
and that the supposed proclamation now
IN question, whether true or false, is al
together void so far as respects such
declaration. / further make known that,
whether II be competent for me as Com
mander-in- 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 it shall have become necessity
indispensable to the maintenance of the
Government TO exersise 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
Held. These are totally different ques-
tons from those of police regulations in
armiee and in camps. On the 9th day of
March last, by special message, ] re-
commended to Congress the adoption of
a Joint resolution, to be substantially as
follows:
ResolUed, That the United States ought |
to cooperate with any State which may
adopt gradual adjustment of slavery, |
giving to such State, in its discretion, to |
compensate for the inconvenience, public |
and private, produced by such change of
system.
The resolution, in the language above
quoted, was adopted by large majority |
in both branches of Congress, and now
stands an authentic, definite, and solemn |
proposal of the nation TO the States and |
people most interested in the subject
" VIC ptOJlb VI buObt DbdltSg |
now, earnestly appeal do not argue
beseech you to make the arguments for
yourselves. You cannot, if you would,
be blind to the signs OF the times. beg
of you calm and enlarged cOnsidera-
ton OF them. Ranging, it may be, far
above personal and party politics, this
proposal 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 rend-
ing or wrecking anything. viii you not
embrace it? So much good has not been
done by any one effort in all past time
as, in the providence of God, it is how
your high privilege to do. May the vast
future not have to lament that you have
neglected il.
In witness whereof, have hereunto set
my hand and caused the seal Of the Unit
ed States to be annexed.
Done at the city of Washington, this
18th day Of May in the year Of our
Lord one thousand eight hundred and
5ixty-twO, and of the independence of
The United States the eighty-ninth.
(Signed) ABRAHAM LINCOLN,
by the Pres't: w. H. SEWARD,
Secretary Of State,