North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1863-01-07
A PROCLAMATION.

Whereas, On the tweniy-second day Of
September III the year OF our Lord one thou
sand eight hundred and sixty two, Pr, cla-
nation was issued by the President of the
United States, ,cefatai74ing, among other things
the following, to witt
That on the first day of January, in the
year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred
and s,xry-three, all persons held as slaves
within any State or designated part of a State,
the people whereof shall III IL be in Rebellion
against the United States, shall be tn II,
thenceforward and forever free, and the Ex
ecutlve Government Of the United States, in
cluding the military and naval authority there
of, will recognize and maintain the freedom
of such persons, and will do no act or acts to
repress such persons, or any of them, in any
effort they may make for :heir active free
dom.
/" That the Executive WILL on the first day
of January aforesaid, by proclamation, desig-
nate the States and parts of States, if any, in
which the people therein, respectively, shall
then he in Rebellion against the United States
and the fact that any State and the people
thereof shall, on that day, be in good faith
represented in the Congress OF the United
S.ales, by members chosen thereto al cleo
tlons wherein a majority Of the qualified vo-
tiers of such State shall have participated, shall
in the absence OF strong countervaillng testmo-
ny, be deemed conclusive evidence that such
State and the people thereof are not then in
Rebellion against the United States
Now, therefore, |, ABRAHAM LINCOLN, Presi
dent Of the United States by virtue ui the pow
er in me vested as Commander in chief oi the
Army and Navy Of the United Sta'es in time
of actual armed rebellion against the author,
ty and Government of the United States, and
as a fiji and necessary war measure for sup
pressing the said rebellion, do, on this the
first day Of January, in the year of our Lord
one thousand eight hundred and sixty-t hree,
AMI, in accor dance with my purpose SO t. do,
publicly proclaim, for the full period of ore
hundred days from he day first abnve men
toned order and designate as the States and
parts of states wherein the people thereof re-
spccrively are this day in rebellion aga inS t
the United States, the following, To vii =
Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana (rxcept the
parishes of St. Bernard, Paquemlnes, Jeff;'r-
son, 81. james, Ascension, Assumption, Terre-
bnnne, Lafourehe. ST. Mtrtin aud Orleans in
cluding the city Of New Orleans, Mississippi,
A Al,ho,no EI,r;J, c
North Carolina and Virginia (excepl the forty
eight counties designated as West Virginia
and also the Counties Of B-rkley, Accpmac,
Northampton, Elizabeth City, York, Princess
Ann and Norfolk and Portsmrurh), }, and which
excepted parts are for the present left precisely
as If the proclamation wrre not issued
And by virtue Of the power and for the
purpose aforesaid, do order and declare
that all persons held as slaves within the
said designated States and parts of said
States, are and hencefnrward shall be free -
and that the Executive Government # the
United States, including The military and
naval authorities thereof, will recognize and
maintain the freedom Of said persons.
And hereby enj"in upon the people so
declared To be free TO abstain from all v,n-
lence, unless in necessary self defence, and !
recommend TO them that in all cases, when
allowed, they labor faithfully for reasonable
wages. And | further declare and make
known that such persons, Of suitable cnndi
tion, will be received into the armed service
OF the United States, to garrison forts, posi-
tions, stations, and other places, and to man
vessels Of all sorts in the said service. And
upon this act, sincerely believed to he an act
OF fjnstice, warranted by the Constitution,
upon military necessity, I involve the cunsld-
crate judgment Of mankind and the gracious
favor of Almighty God.
| In witness whereof, | have hereunto set
my hand and caused the seal of the United
States 10 be affixed.
IL. 81 Done at the city Of Washington,
this the first day of Janu ry, in the year "f
our Lord one thousand eigh, hundred and
sx'y-three, ami of the Independence of the
United States of America the eighty seventh
| ABRAHAM LINCOLN
By the President.
VIM. II SEWARD, Secretary of State