The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1862-05-30

U,heyyas. There appears III the puonc prints
u.h,, supports to be Il proclamation of Major
cnnerol Hunter in the words and figures follow
Ing. to wit
HEADQUARTERS DErAgTNENT OF the
SOUTH, Huron HEAD, S. c.,
May 9, 1862
cruygA1 ORDERS, No. 1.-The three States
oe Georpic. Florida, and South Carolina, COM
r,;s;nc the Military Department Of the South,
tfor;nS deliberately declared themselves no lon
rar under the protection of the United States of
merica. and having taken up arms against the
s,;J limited States, it became a military neces-
s;.,, m declare them under martial law. This
r, s,os accordingly done on the 25th day Of April,
,s62 Slavery and martial law in free coun-
trv are altogether Incompatible. The persons
en- these three States--Georgia, Florida, and
South Carolina-herctofo held as slaves, are
therefore declared forever free.
DAVID HUNTER,
Major General Commanding.
Official-ED. w. SMITH, A. A. A. G.
And, whersas, the same is producing some ex-
element and misunderstanding,
Therefore, /, Abraham Lincoln, President of
the United States proclaim and declare that the
Government of the United States had no knowl-
edge OF belief of an intention on the part of
Gen Hunter to issue such a proclamation, nor
has it yet any authentic information that the
document is genuine; and further, that neither
Gen. Hunter, nor any other commander, or per-
son, has been authorized by the Government of
the United States to make proclamation declar-
ing the slaves of any State free, and that the
supposed proclamation in question, whether
genuine or false, is altogether void, so far as re-
spects such declaration.
further make known that whether it be COM
petent for me, as ommander-in-C -Chiefof the Ar
my and Navy, to declare the slaves of any State
or States free, and whether at any time, or in
any case it shall have become necessity indis-
pensable to the maintainance of the Government
to exercise such supposed power, are questions
which, under my responsibility, reserve to my
self, and which cannot feel justified in leaving
to the decision of commanders in the feld.-
These are totally different questions from those
of police regulations in armies and camps.
On the 9th day of March last by a special
message, | recommended to Congress the al op-
tion Of joint resolution, to be substantially as
follows:
"Rcsolred, That the United States ought to
cooperate with any State which may adopt a
gradual adjustment of Slavery, giving aid to
such State in It's discretion to compensate for the
inconyenence5, public and private, produced by
such change of system"
The resolution in the language above quoted
was adopted By large maorities in both branch
es Of Congress, and now stands an authentic,
definite, and solemn proposal Of the nation to
the States and people most Immediately inter-
estel in the subject matter. To the people of
these States now earnestly appeal. / do not
argue, bescech 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 enlarged consideration Of them, ranging, if
it may be, far above personal aud partisan poll
tics.
This proposal makes common cause for COM
mon object, casting no reproaches upon any one.
1t acts not the Pharsee. The change it con-
templates would come gently as the dews OF
heaven, not rending or wrecking anything.
VIII YOU not embrace it s. much good has not
hen done by one effort in all past time, as in The
Providence of God il now your prigiegoto 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
he affixed.
Done at the City of Washington, this 10Th day
Of May, in the year of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and sixty-two, and Of the inde-
pcndence Of the United States the cighty-sxth
BY the President, ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
VIM H. SEWARD. Secretary of State.
.x----s.---z.-----.-- s-=ss.s'