The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1862-05-24
Void.
BY The rrrn1sn' IF thu rni'sl Stafcs Of Amer

FOIV'
| BY The Prcudsni of ha rni:sl Stafc, Of Amer
| icG--.8 Procinmniina.
| WHEREAS. there appears in the public
prints Mat purporis to be prnc ,miiion Of
MAJOR General Hunter, in The words and
I hgnrrs following, to VII:
Headquarters DEPARTMENT OF TaE
S"rrm ffRro.s HE,n s. g.. May s., 'G2
| General Orders No. II .-Th- three States.
of Georgia. Fosida. and South Carollna;-
comprising the Miii;hfy Department of the
south, having deliberately declared them
selves no longer under the PROTECTION If the
United Stats of America, ar~ having taken,
up arms against the said United ST ties, it
| becomes military %, ccssity TO declare them
under martial law. This was accordingly
done on the 18th day of April. 1862. Slavery
ana martial law in free coir.trSrarc altogether
! incompatible; the persons in these thrre
States Georgia. Florida and Snnt.f Carolina
heretofore held ~ slaves, are therefore
! declared forever free.
(OlliciaD Dawn IIvSrEn,
| Major General Commanding:
Edward W. Smith, A. A. A. General.
| .7ni rheren' the same is producing some
excitement, and misunderstanding therefore,
|. Abraham Lincoln President of tho United.
states, proclaim and declare that the Gov
eminent Of the United States had no know.
ledge, Information or belief of an intention on.
the part of General Hunter to issue su,h a
proclamation; nor has it yet any authentic
information that the document is genuine -
And further, that neither General Hunter.
nor any other commander or person, has been
organized 10y the Government of the United
States to make proclamatinns declaring the
slaves OF any State free and that the sup.
posed proclamation now in question. whether
genuine or false. is altogether void, ~ "a. us,
, respects such declaration.
| li'Tsher make known that whether it be,
competent for me, as Comm ,nder ip-Chicf of
the Arm, and Navy, to declare the slaves of
any State orStatcs tree. AMI whether at anv
time, in any case. it shall have become a.
necessity ln'lspens 'be t., tn, maintenance. of
| the Government to exercise Sucli supposed
power are questions which. under my Trspon-
Sibility, reserve to myself, and which cam
! not feel justiic'l!in leaving to the decision Of
commandcss IN the field. These are totally
| different questions from those OF police regu-
! lati"ns in armies and CAMPS.
| On the SIXTH day Of March last bv n speciul
message. ] recommended to Congress tho
adoption Of Joint resolution to be substan.
! tally as follows:
! R.soirrd. That the Cnitcd States ought to-
co-opcrate with any State which may adnps
gradual adjustment of slavery, giving TO
| such State pccnniary aid to be used bv such
! State in IT'S rfsrreti"n to compensate FIR tho
| ''N'h'NhlcHS's. IHDHC anu private, rrUuIC Il
! by Snch change of system.
The resolution in the language above
! quoted. was adopted by large mnioritics i'm
BOTH branches OF Congress, and now stands,
an authentic, definite, and solemn proposal Of
the nation to the States and ppoplc most
Immediately interested in the subject matter.
| To the people OF those States now earnestly
appeal do not iguc. / bescech You to-
make the argument for yourselves. You can
not, il you would, be blind to the signs ,.t the
| times. beg Of You a calm and enlarged
consideration of them, ranging, if it may be-
far above persona! and parr ism politics.
| This proposal makes common cause for com
mon object. casting no rcprnnchrs upon any,
| 1t acts not the PlariScc. The change il COR
templates would come gently as the dews Of
| heaven. not rchding or wrccking 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 have to lament That yun have neglected
! it,
| In witness whereof l. ,iay-. heSrunto set nv
! hanl and caused the scal,of the United States
| to he affixed.
Done at the city of Washington this nine
trrnih day of May, in the year of our Lord,
one thousand eight hundred and sixy-two
and OF the independence of the United States
the eighty sixth, ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
| By the President:
VIM. III. Seward, Secretary Of State.