Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1862-05-20
g)e Obio 5tatesnram
TUESDAY MORNING, MAY 90. 1862.
TELEGRAPHIC.
Reported for the Ohio Statesman.
THE LATEST NEWS.
Proclamation by the President.
he Repudiates Hunters Abo-
- lition Order.
WAsHrNoToN, May I9.

| a So WARRINGTON, May 10.
WHEREAS, There appears in the public print
what purports to be a proclamation of Major
General Hunter; and
WHEREAS, The same 10 producing some ex'
citement and misunderstanding; therefore,
I, Abraham Lincoln, President of tho United
States, proclaim and declare that the Govern
ment OF the United States had no knowledge
or belief of an intention on the part Of General
Hunter to issue such proclamation, nor has II
yet any authentic information that the docu-
ment 10 genuine; and further, that neither
General Hunter nor any other Commander or
person has been authorized by the Government
Of the United States to make proclamation de-
Glazing 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 declaration.
l furthermore make known that whether IL
be competent for me, as Commander.in Chief
of the army and navy, to declare this slaves Of
any State or States free, and whether at any
time or 10 any case It shall have become ne
cesslty indispensable to the maintenance of the
Government, to exercise such supposed power,
are questions which, under my responsibility,
reserve to myself, and which cannot feel JUS
tilted in leaving to the decision Of commanders
in tho Aeld. These are totally different ques.
tlons from those Of police regulations In armies
and camps
On the 9Th day Of March last, by special
message I recommended to Congress the adop-
tion Of joint resolution to be substantially 90
follows:
"ResOlued, That the United States ought to
cooperate with any State which may adopt a
gradual abollshment Of slavery, giving to each
State in Its discretion TO compensate for the in
public and private, produced by
such changes OF system"
The resolution in the language above quoted
was adopted by large majority in both branch
es Of Congress and now stands an authentic, de-
finite and solemn proposal Of the nation to the
States and people most interested In the sub
lect matter. To the people Of these States
now l earnestly appeal. l do not argue.
beseech you to make the arguments for your
selves. You cannot, If you would, be blind to |
the signs of the times. beg Of you calm
and enlarged consideration of the theme rang
Ing, If IL may be, far above personal and party
politics.
Thisproposal makes common cause fox COM
mon object, casting no reproaches upon any,
It acts not the Phsrisee. The change It con.
templates would come gently ss the dews of
heaven, not Fending or wreeking anything.-l
Will you not embrace it 2 So much good has
not been done by one effort In ell past time, as
In the Providence of God II is now your highest
privilege to do. May the vast future not have
10 lament shat you have neglected 1t.
In witness whereof, have hereunto set my
hand and caused the seal Of the United States |
to be annexed. Done at the city of Wash.
ington, this 18th day of May, in the year of
our Lord, 1862, and Of the Independence Of
the United States the Seth.
(Signed) ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
By the President:
WM. H. SEWARD, Secy. Of State.