The dollar weekly bulletin. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1862-1864, 1863-05-14

The Consc ription Law-ForeigncTS-
residents PrOcIamatIOn-ImpOr
Dispatches Received at Washington.
By THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
A PROCLAMATION.
WHEREAS, The Congress of the United
States, at its last session, enacted law en-
titled 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, 1t is recited in said act that
there now exists in the United States an in =,
surrection and rebellion against the author
tiles thereof, and it is, under the Coustitu-
ton of the United States, the duty of the
Government to suppress instruction and
rebellion, to guarantee to each State re-
publican form Of government, and to preserve
the public tranquility; and, ....
WHEREAS. For these high purposes a mil.
itary force is indispensable, to raise and sup
port which all persons ought willingly to
contributes; aud.
WHEREAS, No service can be more praise
worthy and honorable than that which is
rend cred for the maintenance of the Con-
stitution and the Union and the consequ emf
preservation of free government; ana,
/ WHEREAS, For the reasons thus recited
it was enacted by the said statute that all
able bodied male citizens of the United
States, and persons of foreign birth, who
shall have declared on oath their intention
to become citizens under and in pursuance
of the laws thereof. between the ages of
twenty and forty-ive years, with certain
exceptions not necessary to be herein men
toned, and declared to constitute the ma
tional forces, and shall be liable to perform
military duty in the service of the United
k,,f 81 fOr
that purpose; and,
| WHEREAs, it is claimed in behalf of per,
sons of foreign birth, within the ages speci-
! fed in said act, who have heretofore de-
clared on oath their intentions to become
citizens. under and in pursuance of the laws
| of the United States, aud who have not eN-
ercised the right of suffrage, or any other
political franchise, under the laws of the
United States, or of any of the States there
of, are not absolutely concluded by their
aforesaid declaration of intentions from re =
nouncing their purpose TO become citizens
and that, on the contrary, such persons IN
der treaties or the law of nations retain a
right to renouuce that purpose and to'fotego
the privilege of citiz enship, and reside with
in the United States under the obligations
imposed by the aforesaid act of Congress.
Now, therefore, to avoid all misapprehen-
siols concerning the liability OF persons con-
cerned to perform the service required by
such enactment, and togive it full effect,
do hereby order and proclaim that no plea
Of alienage will be received or allowed to
exempt from the obligations imposed by the
aforesaid act of Congress, any person of for
e;gn birth who shall have declared on oath
his intention to, become a citizen of the
United States under the law thereof, aud
who shall be found within 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 al
lowed in favor of any such person, who
have SO, as aforesaid, declared his intention
to become a citizen of the United States,
and shall have exercised, at any time. the
right of suffrage, or any other political fran
chise, within the United States, under the
laws of any of the several States. -47
Signed] ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
By the President: VIM. II. SEWARD,
Secretary of State. 1.aa ae..