Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1862-05-21
The Presidents Views on Hunters
Proclamation.

oO.S a wv
ment has had no official information o.
Gen. Hunter having issued an Emancipa.
ton Proclamation, and says such a steT
has not been authorized. The President
says he reserves to himself, as command.
er-in-chief of the U. S. Army, the de
termination of such questions. lie favors
gradual emancipation, and urges it upon
the attention of Slave States, very foreibly.
We infer that the President does not, as
yet, sec an unavoidable necessity for de-
claring the slaves In rebel States free.
Proclamation by the President
WASHINGTON, May Is.
Whereas, there appears in the public
prints what purports to be a proclamation
of Major General Hunter; And Whereas.
the same is producing some excitement
and misunderstanding, therefore, /, Abra-
ham Lincoln, President of the United
States, proclaim and declare that the Go
vernment of the United States has no
knowledge or belief of an intention on the
part of General Hunter to issue such a
proclamation, nor has it vet any anthem
tic information that the document Is gen.
uine, and believes that neither General
Hunter, or any other Commander or per-
son, has been authorized by the Govern
ment of the United States TO make proc
lamation declaring the slaves of any State
free, and that the supposed proclamation
now in question. whether genuine or false,
is altogether void, so far as respects such
declarations.
! further make known that whether it
be competent for me as Commander-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 a necessity indispensa-
BILE to the maintenance of the Government
toexercIse such supposed power, are ques-
tons which, under my responsibility, re-
serve to myself, and which | cannot feel
justified in leaving to the decision of COM
manders in the field. These are totally
different questions from those of police
regulations in armies and camps.
On the 9th day of March last. hv n spe-
cial message, / recommended to Congress
the adoption of a joint resolution, 10 be
Substantially as follows:
"Resolred, That the United States ought
to cooperate with any State which may
adopt a 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 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 mat
ter. To the people of these States, now l
earnestly appeal. l do not argue; l be-
seech you to make the arguments for your
selves. You cannot if you would, be blind
TO the signs OF the times. l beg of you a
calm and enlarged consideration of them,
ranging it may be, far above personal and
party politics This proposal makes COM
cause for a common object, casting
no ~reproaches upon any one 1t acts not
the Pharisee- The changes it contem-
plates would come as gently as the dews
of Heaven, not rending or wrecking any
Will 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.
IH~8itness whereof, I hereunto set my
hand and caused the seal of the United
States to be annexed.
Done. at the City of Washington, this
18th day of May, in the year of our Lord
thousand eight hundred and sixty
two, and of the Independence of the Uni
ted States the eighty-sixth.
(Signed) ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
WV. II. SEWARD, Secretary of State.