Pomeroy weekly telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy, Meigs County, Ohio) 1860-1866, 1862-05-23
Proclamation by the Presi-
dent.
By the President of tie Uuttea States


I Proclamation.
WAsHIsGToS, May l7.--Whercas
there appears in the public prints what
parPotts to be a proclamation Of Major
General Huuter, ana whereas the same
is producing some excitement and mis-
understanding, therefore |, Abraham
Lincoln, Prssilent Of the United States,
proclaim and declare that the Govern
nent ofthe United States had no knowl-
edge or belief Of an Intention on the part
of Gen. Hunter to issue such procla-
nation. Nor has it yet any authentic
! information that the document is genu-
inc, and further, tha: neither Gen. Hun
ter nor any other commander or person
has been authorized by the Government
of the United States to make procla MA .
ton declaring the slaves Of any State
free, and that the supposed Proclamation
now in question whether genuine or
| false, is altogether void, SO lar as re-
spects such declaration.
| further make known that whether
it is competent for me as Commander-i in
Chief Of the Army and Navy, TO dec are
the slaves of any State or States free,
and whether at any time or in any case
it shall have become necessity, indis-
pensable to the maintenance of the Gov
ernment, to exercise such supposed
power, sre questions which. under my
res possibility, | reserve to myself, and
which | cannot feel justified in leaving
to the decision of Commanders in the
field These are totally different ques-
| tions from those OF police regulations in
armies aud in camps. On the, 9th. day
Of March last, by special message, [
Recommended to Congress the adoption
of joint resolution to be substantially
as follows: --e.s t.;z 49, /, ss-
Resolved. That the United States
ought to CO. operate with any State which
may adopt a. gradual abolisEment Of Sla-
very, giving to such State in its discre-
| ton, to compensate for the inconve-
nience, public, and private, produced by
such change ofsystem. 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 interested in the subject matter.
! To the people Of these States now I earn
! sstly appeal; | do not argue, beseech
| you to make the arguments for your
selves. You cannot, if you would, be
blind to the signs Of the times ! beg
Of you a calm and enlarged consideration
of them, ranging, if it may be, far above
personal and party politics. This pro-
posal makes common cause for COM
mon object, casting no reproaches upon
any 1t acts not the Pharisee. The
change it centemplates 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 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 hereunto set
my hand, and caused the seal Of the
United States to be annexed. Done
at the City Of Washing ton, this 10Th
day of May, in the year of Lord one
thousand eight huadred and sixty 1.-TWO,
and Of the Independence Of the Uni-
ted States the eighty sixth.
Signed, ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
WM. II. SEWARD,
Secretary OF State.