Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1862-09-26
Most Important Proclamation
from the President.
Emancipation Declared in az ne States
IN Rebellion, January I, 1868.

Il. "A
States Of America and Commander-i Chief Of
the Army and Navy thereof, do hereby proclaim
and declare that hereafter as heretofore, the war
win be prosecuted for the object Of practically
restoring the constitutional relation between the
United Statos and the people thereof in the
States in which that relation is or may be, sus-
pended or disturbed; that II il my purpose up
on the next meeting Of Congress to again re-
commend the adoption Of practical measure,
rendering pecuniary aid TO the free acceptance or
rejection Of all the 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, the immediate or gradual
abolishment of Slavery within their respective
limits; and that thereafter to colonize persons Of
African descent with their consent upon this
eontinentor elsewhere, with the previously OBJ
tanned consent Of the Government existing there
will be continued; that on the first day of Janu-
airy, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight
hundred and sixty three, all persons held as
slaves within any State or any designated part
Of State, the people whereof shall then be in
rebellion aganst the United States, shall be then
thenceforwa,d and forever free The Executive
Government Of the United States, including the
military and naval authority thereof, win rccog-
niEe and maintain the freedom of such persons,
and viii do no act or acts to repress such per-
sons, OF any of them, in any efforts they may
make for their actual freedom; that the Execu-
tive will, on the first day of January aforesaid,
by proclamation, designate the States and the
parts Of State, if any, in which the people thereof
respectively shall then be in rebellion against
the United States, and the fact that any State or
the people thereof shall on that day be represen-
ted in the Congress of the United States by
members chosen thereto at elections wherein a
majority of the qualified voters Of Each State
shall have participated SHALL in the absence of
strong eounteracting testimony, be deemed con-
elusive evidence that such State and the people
thereof have not been in rebellion against the
United States that attention is hereby called to
an act Of Congress entitled San Act TO make an
Additional Article of War; approved March g.,
1862 and which act is in the words and figures
following:
| BE IL enacted By The Senate and House of Reprc-
scatsUos Of the United States IN Conqress asse,,-
inulgated as an additional article of war for the
government of the army of the United States
and shall be obeyed and observed az such:
ARTrcLE.-Al officers or persons in the mill
tafy or naval service OF the United States are
prohibited from employing any of the forces
under their respective commands for the pur-
pose of returning fugitives from service or labor
who may have escaped from any person to whom
such service or labor is claimed to be due; and
any officer who shall be found guilty by court
martial violating this article, shall be dismissed
from the service.
SEC. .. And be il further enacto,l That this act
shall take effect from and after its passage.
Also, to the 9th and 10th sections of an act
entitled @Anact to suppress insurrecton, to pun
ish treason and rebellion, to seize and confscate
the property of rebels, aud for other purposes"
approved July II, 1862, and which sections are
in the words and figures following:
SEC. 9. Andboh further enacted That all slaves
of persons who shall hereafter be engaged in re-
bellion against the Government. of the United
States, or who shall in any way give aid or
comfort thereto, escaping from such persons and
/ taking refuge within the lines of the army, and
all slaves captured from such persons, or desert
i ed by them and coming under the control of the
Government Of the United States and all slaves
OF such persons on or being within any place
occupied by the rebel forces and afterwards oc-
D1 lUe forces OF tne United StalpS. shall
be deemed captures of war, and shall be forever
: free of their servitude, and not again held as
slaves.
SEC 10. And be a further enacled, That no
slave escaping into any State, Territory, or the
. District of Columbia, from any of the States
shall be delivered up, or in any way impeded
e or hindered OF his liberty except for cause of
some offense against the laws, unless the person
claiming said fugitive shall first make oath that
the person to whom the labor or service of such
y fugitive is alleged to be due as his lawful own
er, and has not been in arms against the United
States in the present rebellion, nor in any way
given aid or comfort thereto, and no person enga-
ged IN the military or naval service of the Uni
ted States SHALL under any pretence whatever
assume to decide in the validity of the claim OF
any person to the service or labor of any other
person, or surrender up any such person to the
claimant, on pain of being dismissed from the
, service.
: And | do hereby enjoin upon and order al
persons engaged in the military and naval SER
4 vice of the United States to observe, obey and
. enforce within their respective spheres of ser.
a vice, the act and sections above recited and the
r Executive viii in due time recommend that all
citizens of the United States who shall have re-
manned loyal thereto throughout the rebellion,
shall, upon the restoration of the Constitutional
relation betT cen the United States and their
respective States and people, ifthe relation shall
have boel suspended or disturbed, be compen-
sated icr I'll losses by acts of the United States,
including the loss Of slaves.
Ia witness whereof have hereunto set nv hand
, and caused the seal of the United States 10 be
affixed.
Done at the city of Washington this, the twen.
ty-second day of September, in the year o.
our Lord one Thousand eight hundred and
sixty-two. and of the Independence Of the
United States the eighty seventh.
Il ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
WM. H. SEWARD, Sec'y Of State.
| Letter from Hon. $. 4. worcester.
We direct the attention of the reader TO III.
| al. al LII - = L.