, 1862-05-20
IMPORTANT PROCLAMATION
The President On Gen. Hunter.
He Appeals to the People Of the Bor-
der Slave States.

WAsHsGros, May 19.-The President has
to-day issued the following
By the President Of the United States.
4 PROCLAMATION.
WHEREAS, There appears in the public
prints, what purports to be proclamation Of
hIaj. Gen. Hunter and whereas, the same is
producing some excitement and misunder-
standing;
Therefore, I, Abraham Lincoln, President
Of the United States, proclaim and declare
that the Government Of the United States
had no knowledge or belief Of an intention on
the part Of Gen. Hunter TO issue such q pro-
c1anation, nor has it yet any authentic intor-
nation that the document is genuine; aud
farther. that neither Gen. Hunter, nor any
other Commander or person, has been author
lied By the Government Of the United States
to make proclamation declaring the slaves OF
any State free, and that the supposed procla-
nation now in question, whether genuine or
false, is altogether void so far as respects
such declaration.
further make known that; whether it be
competent for me as Commander-in-Chiefo 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 become necessity
t indispensable to the mainta1nance Of the Gov
| eminent to exercise such supposed power,
| are questions which under my responsibility
I reserve to myself, and which 7 cannot feel
| justified in leaving to the decision Of com
manders in the field. These are totally differ
ent questions from those Of police regulations
in armies and camps.
On the 9th day Of March last, by q special
message, I recommended to Congress the
adoption Of joint resolution, to be substsn-
tial1y as follows:
| ResoIred, That the United States ought to CO.
operate with any State which may adopt gradual
abolition Of sMyery, giving aid 10 such States IN
! its discretion, to compensate for the lnconyenl.
ences, public and private, produced By such change
Of system
The resolution on the language above
quoted was adopted By large mojorities in
both branches Of Congress and now stands sn
authentic, definite aud solemn proposal Of
the nat;on to the States and people most in
terested in the subject matter. To the peo
pie Of these States..nowI earnestly appeal dc
not argue, beEeech you to make the argu-
mcnts for yourselves, You cannot, if you
would, be blind to the signs of the times.
Of them, ranging, it it may be, far above per
sonal and party politics. This proposal mike
common cause for common object. Casting
no rep1oaches upon any, it acts not the Plag-
isee. The change it contemp1ates woule
come gently as The dews of Heaven, nol
| embrace it. So much good has nat been dons
By one effort in all past time rs in the Provi
dencc Of God it is now your high privilege tf
do. May the vast future not have to h1nen
that you have neglected it.
In witness whereof, I have hereufato set mi
hand, and caused the seal Of the United Statc
to be annexed.
Done at tic city of Washington, this 1911
day of May, in the year Of our Lord on
thousand eight hundred aud sixty-two, AM
Of the Independence Of the United States, tn
eighty sixth.
| 1Signcd.1 ABnAM LINCOLN.
By the President: WM. E. SEWARD,
Secretary of State.