Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-05-09
Proclamation.
By the President Of the United STATES o.
AHerica-A Proclamation.

By the President of the United States of
Aaaerica-4 Proclamation.
Whereas, the congress of the United States
at its last session enacted a law entitled ''An
act for enrolling and calling out the national
forces, and for other purposes" which was
approved on the Sd day of March last; and
whereas, it is recited in the said act that there
now exists in the United States an insurrec-
ton and rebellion against the authority there
of, and it IS, under the constitution of the
United States, the duty of the government to
suppress instruction and rebellion, to guar
antee to each state a republican form of gov
eminent, and preserve the public tranquility;
and whereas, for these high purposes, a milf
tary force is indispensable, to raise and sup
port which all persons ought willingly to con-
tribute; and whereas. no service can be more
praiSeworthy and honorable than that which
is rendered for the maintenance of the cunSti-
tuition and the Union, and the consequent pre-
servation OF free government; and whereas,
for the reasons thus recited, it was enacted
by the said statute, that all able-bodied male
citizens OF the United States, and all persons
of foreign birth who shall have declared, on
oath, their intentions to become citizens,
under, and in pursuance Of, the laws thereof,
between the ages of 90 and 40 years. with GER
tam exceptions not necessary to be here mem
toned and declared, to constitute the nation
al forces, and shall be liable to perform mill
tary duty III the service of the United States
when called out by the President for that pur-
pose; and, whereas, it is claimed and in be-
half Of persons of foreign birth, within the
ages specified in said act, who have hereto
fore declared on oath their intentions to be-
come citizens, under and in pursuance of the
laws Of the United States, and who have not
exercised the right Of suffrage or any other
political franchise under the laws of the Unit
ed States or Of any Of the states thereof are
not absolutely precluded by their. aforesaid
declaration of intention from renouncng their
! purpose to become citizens, but and that on
the contrary, such persons, under treaties or
| the law of nations, retain right to renounce
that purpose and to forego the privilege of cit
| izenShp aud residence within the United
States, under the obligations imposed by the
aforesaid act OF congress. Now, there
fore, to avoid all misapprehensions CON
corning the liability Of persons concerned
to perform the service required by such
enactment, and to give it full effect, do here
| by order and proclaim that no plea ofalienage
will be received or allowed TO eXempttrom the
obligations imposed by the aforesaid act of
| congress any person of foreign birth who shall
| have declared on oath his intention to become
a citizen of the United States under the laws
thereof, and who shall be found in the United
States at any time during the continuance of
| the present instruction and rebellion. at or
after the expiration of the period of SiXty-five
days from the date OF this proclamation, nor
shall any such plea of alienage be allowed in
favor of any such person who has so as afore-
said declared his intention to become a citizen
Vt the United States, and shall have exercised
at any time the right Of outrage or any other
| political franchise within the United States
underline laws thereof or under the laws of
| the several states.
In witness whereof 1 have horeunto set my
seal and caused the seal of the United States
to be affixed.
Done at the city of Washington this eighth
day of May, in the year of our Lord 1868, and
of the independence of the United States the
eighty seventh. ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
BY the president:
WIN. II. SEWARD, Secretary of State.