The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1862-10-01
A PROCLAMATION.

Uult6u CtateS OF ADeTlca, anu C0mman-
der-iu- Chief of the Army and Navy
thereof, do hereby proclaim and declare
that hereafter, as heretofore, the war will
be prosecuted with the object practically,
Of restoring the constitutional relation
between the United States and each OF
the States and the people thereof, in
which States that relation is or may be
suspended or disturbed. That it IS my
purpose upon the next meeting of Con-
gress to again recommend the adoption of
practical measures rendering pecuniary
aid to the free acceptance or rejection of
all slave States, SO called, the people
whereof may not then be in rebellion
against the United States, and which
States may then have voluntarily adopted,
or thereafter may voluntarily adopt i'm.
mediate or gradual abolishment Of slavery
within their respective limits; and that
the effort to colonize persons of African
descent, with their consent, upon this
continent or elsewhere, with the previ-
ously obtained consent Of tho govern
ments existing there, will be continued /;
that on the first day of January, in the
year of our Lord one thousand eight hun
dred and sixty-three, all persons held as
slaves within any State, or designated
parts of State, the people whereof shall
then be in rebellion against the United
States, shall be then, thenceforward and
forever free, and the Executive Govern
ment of the United States, including the
Military and Naval authority thereof,
will recognize and maintain the freedom
Of such persons aud will do 10 act or acts
to repress such persons or any of them in
any efforts they may make for actual
freedom; that the Executive will, on the
first day Of January aforesaid, by procla-
nation designate the States, and parts of
States, if any, in which the people thereof,
respectively, shall then be in rebellion
against the United States, End the fact
that any State, or the people thereof,
shall on that day be in good faith repre-
sented in the Congress Of the United
States by members chosen thereto at
elections wherein two majority of the
qualified voters Of such State shall have
participated, shall in the absence of strong
countarvailing testimony, be deemed con,
elusive evidence that such State, and the
people thereof, are not then ip rebellion
against the United States. That atten-
!ion is hereby called TO an act of Con-
gress,. entitled, act to make an additional
article of war, approved, March, l3,
1862, which act is in the word and figure
following:
BE it enacted by the Senate and House
of Representatives of the United States Of
American Congress assem- bIed, That here
after the following shall be promalgate
as an additional article Of war for the
good of the army of the u. S, and shall
be 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
forces under their respective commands
for the purpose Of returning fugitiyes
from service or labor, who have escaped
from any persons to whom such service
or labor be claimed to be due; and any
officer, who shall be found guilty by a
court martial of violating this article,
shall be dismissed from the service.
Section Second, And be it further en-
acted that this act shall take effect from
and after its passage. Also to the ninth
and tenth sections of an act entitled az
act to suppress instruction, to punish
treason and rebellion, to seize and confs-
cate property Of rebels, and for other pur-
poses approved July 18th, 1862, and
which sections arc in the words and fig
ures following:
Section Ninth, And be it further en-
acted that all slaves of persons who shall
hereafter be engaged in rebellion against
the Government of the United States, Or
who shall in any way give aid or comfort
thereto, and captured from such persons
and taking refuge within the lines of the
army, and all slaves captured from such
persons, or deserted by them and coming
under the control of the Government Of
the United States, and all slaves of such
persons found on or being within anv
place occupied by the forces of the United
States, shall be deemed captives of war,
and shall be forever free of their seryi-
tude and not again held as slaves.
Section Ten, And be it further enacted
that no slaves escaping into any State or
Territory or the District of Columbia,
from any other State shall be delivered
up or in any way impeded or hindered
of his liberty except for crime or some
offence against the laws unless the person
claiming said fugitive shall first make
oath that the person to whom the labor
or service of such fugitive is alleged to
be due is his lawful owner aud has not
borne arms against US in the present re-