Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1862-05-22
OFFICIAL.
By THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
OF AMERICA.
A PROCLAMATION.

A PROCLAMATION.
Whereas, there appears in the public
prints what purports to be proclamation of
Major General Hunter, in the words and
figures following. to wit
Head Quarters, Department Of the South,
Hilton Head, S. O., May 9th, 1862.
GENERAL ORDERS, No. IL.
The three States Of Georgia, Florida, and
South Carolina, comprising the Military De-
partment of the South, having deliberately
declared themselves no longer under the pro-
lection Of the United States of America. and
having taken up arms against the said United
States, it becomes military necessity to de-
clare them under martial law This was
accordingly done on the 25th day of April,
1862 Slavery and martial law in free
country are altogether incompatible. The
persons in these three Statcs-Georgia, Flo
rda, and South Carolina-heretofore held as
slaves, are therefore declared for ever free.
DAVID HUNTER,
Official: Maj. Gen. Commanding.
ED. w. SMITH, Acting Ass. Adj. Gen.
And whereas, the same is producing some
excitement and misunderstanding, therefore,
], ABRAHAM LINCOLN, President of the
United States, proclaim and declare that the
Government of the United States had no
knowledge information, or belief OF an in
tention on the part of Gen. Hunter to issue
such proclamation, nor has it yet any au-
thentic information that tho document is
genuine. And, further, that neither General
Hunter nor any other commander or person
has been authorized by the Government Of
tho United States to make proclamations
declaring the slaves of any State free; and
that the supposed proclamation now in qucs-
ton, 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 Chief Of
the Army and Navy, to declare the slaves of
any State or States free, and whether at any
time, in any case it shall have become ne
cessity Indispensable to the maintenance of
the Government to exercise such supposed
power, are questions which, under my re-
sponsibility, | reserve to myself, and which
! cannot feel justified in leaving to the dcci-
sion of commanders in the field These arc
totally different questions from those Of po-
lice regulations in armies and camps.
On the sixth day Of March last, by u spe-
cial message, | recommended to Congress the
adoption of joint resolution to be substan-
tally as follows:-
"Resolred, That the United States ought
to corporate with any State which may
adopt a gradual adjustment Of slavery, Civ
ing to such State pecuniary aid to be used
by such State in its discretion to compensate
for the Inconvenience, public and private,
produced by such change of system"
Tho revolution, in the language above
quoted, WAS adopted by larg" majortics in
both branches of Congress, and now stands
an authentic, definite, and solemn proposal
of the nation to the States and people most
Immediately interested in the suhjrct-mattcr.
To the people of those States | now earnestly
appeal. do not argue. beseech you to
| make the arguments for yourselves. You
cannot, if you would, be blind to the signs
of the times. ! beg of you calm and en-
larged consideration of them, ranging, if it
may be, far above personal and partisan poll
tics. This proposal makes common cause
for common object, casting no reproaches
upon any. 1t acts not the pharisee. The
change it contcmplatss would como gently as
the dcws Of heaven, not rending or wrecking
any thing. Will you not embrace it? So
much good has not been done, by one effort,
in all past time, as. in the providence OF
&od, it is now your high privilege to do
May the vast future not have to lament that
you have neglected it!
In witness whereof have hereunto set my
hand and caused the seal of the United States
to be affixed
Done at the City Of Washington. this
nineteenth day of May, in the ycar
| IL. 5. of our Lord one thousand eight hun
dred and sixty-two, and of the In
dependence Of the United States the
cighty-sixth.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
| By the President:
| WIZ. Ii. SEwARD, Secretary of State.