Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1862-09-30
The Presidents Proclama alton,
WASHINGTON, Sept. %, 1867.
"a pROCLAAlATION.)

|, Abraham Lincoln. President OF the United
States of America, and Commander michel OF
the Army and Navy thereof, do hereby proclaim
and declare that hereafter, as heretofore, the
war will be prosecuted for the object OF practi-
cally restoring the Constitutional relation be-
tween the United States end the people thereof,
in which States that relation is or may be sus-
pended or disturbed
That 1t is my purpose upon the next meeting
Of Congress 70 again recommend the adoption
ola practical measure rendering peonuary aid
to the tree acceptance or rejection Of all the
Slave States, SO called, the people whereof may
not then be in rebellion against the United
States, and which states may then have yolun-
tarily adopted, or thereafter may voluntarily
adopt the immediate or gradual adjustment Of
slavery within their respective limits, and that
the efforts to colonize persons OF A'ncan de-
scent, with their consent, upon the continent or
elsewhere, with the previously obtained consent
of the governments existing there, will be con
tinued
That on the first day Of january in the year
Of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and
sixty-three, all persons held as slaves within any
State, or any designated part of State, the
people whereof shall then be in rebellion against
the United States, shall be then and thenceior-
ward and forever FREE, and the Executive
Government OF The United States including the
military and naval authority thereof, will rec
ognize al maintain the freedom Of such per-
sops, and will DO no act or acts to reprcss such
prisons or any Of them, in any efforts they may
make for their actual freedom
That the Executive will on the first day Of
January aforesaid, by proclamation designate
the states and parts Of states, if any, in which
the people thereof respectively shall be in re-
belion against the United States, and the fact
that any state or the people thereof shall on
that day be in good faith represented in. the
Congress Of the United States by members cho-
sen thereto at elections wherein majority Of
the qualified voters of such state shall have par
tcipated, shall in the absence OF strong counter
yailng testimony be deemed conclusive evidence
that such state and the people thereof have not
been in rebellion against the United States.
That attention is hereby called to an ACT of
Congress entitled &" An Act t. make an Add-
tonal Article of War, approved March 10,
1862, and which act is in the words and figures
following
BE IL enacted By the Senate and House Of Re
preSenfdt1Oes NJ Tie UaHed STATES Of america an
Congress assembled
That hereafter the following shall be promul-
gated as an additional article Of war for the
government Of the army Of the United States,
and shall be obeyed and observed as such
Article
All officers or persons in the military or naval
service OF the United States, are prohibited from
employing any of the force under their respec-
tive commands Tor the purpose Of returning
fugltiy,s from service or labor. who NAV have
escaped from any persons to whom such service
or labor is claimed to be due, and any Ulfeer
who shall be found guilty, by court-marliaI,
of violating this article, shall be dismissed from
the service.
SIC. 2, And be IL further enacted, That this
act shall take effect from and after its passage
Also 10 the 9th and 10Th sections of an act
entitled" An Act to suppress instruction, to
punish treason and rebellion, TO seize and con.
fi:cate property OF rebels and for other pur-
poses, approved July Eth, 1862, and which
sections are in the words and figures following
SECT. Q. Ind lie ii further enacted That
ali slaves Of persons who shall hereafter be Gu
gagged Ia rebellion against the government of
the United States, or who shall in any way give
and or comfort thereto, escaping from such per
sons and taking refuge within the lines OF the
army, and all slaves captured IRON such persons
or deserted by them coming under the control
of the government of the United States. and all
slaves oil such persons found on, Oh being with
IN, any place occupied by rebel forces and after.
wards occupied by the forces OF the United
States snail be deemed captiyes OF war, and shall
be forever free OF their seryiude aud not again
held as slaves.
SEC. TO- Ind bcu further enacted, That no
slave escaping into any State. Territory or the
District OF Columbia, from any OF the States
shall be delivered up or in any way lmpeded or
hindered Of his liberty except Tor crime or some
offence against the laws uniess the person claim
ing said fugitive shall first make oath that the
person to whom the laOor or service OF such flu I
gtive is alleged to be due IS his lawful owner,
and has not been in arms against The United
States in the present rebellion nor in any way
gwen aid or comfort thereto and no person en-
gagged IN the military or naval service OF the t.
s. shall under any circumstances whatever as
sumo to decide ON tho validity OF the claim Of
any person TO The service or labor of any uther
person or surrender up any such person to the
claimant, On pam Of being dismissed from the
service.
And do hereby cpjon upon and order all
persons engaged in the military and naval ser
vice Of the United States to observe and obey
and enforce within their respective sphere OF
service the act and sections above recited and |