The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1862-05-23
THE HUNTER onpEh.

Il 4
HnscN uxAD, Msy Q. 1862
| General Order No. ILL.,
The three States OF Georgis,
Florida and South Carolina, com
prising tho military department oi
the South, having deliberately de-
clared themselves no longer under
the protection OF the United States
o America, and having taken up
arms against said United States, /,
became military necessity 10 declare
martial law. This was according
ly done on the 25th day OF April,
1869. Slavery and martial law in
free country are altogether incom.
pstible. The persons In these three
States, Georgia, Florida and South
Carolina, heretofore held as slaves,
are therefore declared forever free.
As soon as this reached Washing.
ton, a Cabinet meeting was held Il 9
result Of which wae the following
Proclamation by the President.
WASHINGTON. May 10.-Whereas
there appears in the public prints
what purports to he a proclamation
of Major Genera! Hunter, and where.
ss the same is producing some ex'
element and misunderstanding,
therefore l, A braham Lincoln, Pres.
ident of the United States, proclaim
and declare that the Government Of
the United States had no knowledge
r belief OF an intention on the part
ofGen. Hunter to issue such proc.
lamstion. Nor las it yet any au
thentic Information that the docu
ment is genuine, and further, that
neither Gen. Hunter nor any other
commander or person has been au.
thorized by the Government OF the
United States to make a proclama-
ton declareing the slaves Of any
State free, and that the supposed
proclamation nowin question wheth.
er genuine or false, is altogether
void, 60 far as respects such declara
tion.
1 further make known that wheth-
er il Is competent for me a Com.
mander. in, chiet of the Arma and
Navy. to declare the slaves OF any
State or States free, and whether al
any time or in any case it shall
have become a necessity, indispensi
BILE TO the maintenance Of the Gov
rnment, to exercise such supposed
power, are questions which under
INV responsibility, reserve to n.y.
self, and which l cannot feel justili
ed in leaving to the decision of com
manders in the field. These are to
tally different questions from thos,
Of police regulations in armies and
in camps. Tn the 9th day OF Marcel,
last, by special message, | recon
mended TO Congress the adoption oi
a joint resolution to be substantially
as follows:
Resolved, That tho United States
ougbt to cooperate with any State
which may adopt a gradual abol.
ishment of Slavery, giving to such
state in its discretion, to compensate
for the inconvenience, public and
private, produced by such change Of
sys'em. The resolution in the Ian
guage above quoted, WAS adopted
by large msjorities in beth branch.
es Of Congress, and now stands an
authentic. definite and solemn FRO,
posal OF the nation to the Ststes and
people most interested in the sub.
ject matter. To the people of these
Sta'es now ] earnestly appeal; dc
not argue, | beseech you TO make
he arguememts for yourselves. -
You cannot. ii you would, be blind
to the signs Of the times. beg oI
you calm and enlarged considers
tion of them, ranging, il it may be
far above personal ard party poll.
tics. This proposal makes common
cause for a common subject, casting
no reproaches upon any. 1t acts
MT the Pharisce. The change o
it contemplates would come gently
as the dews Of Heaven, not rendine
or wrecking anything. Will you
not embrace it? So much good has
not been done by any effort in all
past time, as, in the providence Of
God it is now your high privilege o
do. May the vast future not have
to lament that you have neglected
it.
In witness whereof, have here
INTO set nv hands, and caused the
seal Of the United States to be an
nexed. Done at the city of Wash.
ington, this 19'h day Of May, in the
year Of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and sixty-two, and
OF the independence OF the United
States the seth.
Signed, ABRAHAM LIyooLN.
VIM. II. SEWARD, Secretary OF the
State.
The President is right, and how,
ever much the people may desire tie
extinction of slavery, they will, ger
orally, concur in The wisdom of his
pan for bringing it about.