Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1863-12-22
NO. 80.
LiNcoLN's PRocL. NATION.

-
The following is the proclamat. on of Lincol
G which was Published with Dis Messa ge:
Whereas, IN aud by the Constitu.ies of In
United States, it IS provided that the p,sesidar
shall have power TO grant re prieyes and
for offences against the United States eTlcart !;
cases of impeachment: and whereas . rehay,;a,
now exists whereby the loyal Stare gnvarn
menf OF several States have, for lons TIM
oeeh seoVerted, ana many persons have com
mitted, and are guilty of treason against the IT
nlted States; and whereas, with referencs - -,
rebellion and treason, laws have been on ss e's =
by Congress declaring forfeitures and contfsos
tion OF property and liberation of slaves all nc
on terms and conditions therein stated . and =,
so declaring that the resident was thereby an
thorlzed at any time thereafter, by proclamo t;or
to extend to persons who may have partic;n.+oS
IN the existing rebellion in any State or ,ort
thereof, pardon and amnesty with such 49,,
tloBs, and at such times, and such condilions
as ne may deem expedient for the public well,
fare; and whereas, the Congressional dscIarst;an
Tor limited and conditional pardon aceords
with the we'll established judicial exposition of
the Pardoning power; and whereas, the Com
4gressi0nal declaration for limited and cons,tion
fai pardon accords with the well established in
dicial exposition ct the pardoning power and
whereas, with reference to the said Rebellion the
President of the United States has jssned Gov.
eral proclamations with provisions in regard to
the liberation OF slaves and whereas it is now
desired by some persons heretofore engaged in
said rebellion to resume their allegiance to the
United States, and to re-inaugurate loyal State
! governments within and for their respeetive Sto
tes, therefore, 1, ABRAHAM LINCOLN. President
Of the United States, do proclaim, declare and
make known TO all persons who have directly. or
| by implication, participated in the existing re-
belllon, except as hereinafter excepted, that
full ptrdon is hereby granted to them and each
of them, with restoration of all rights of Drop-
n q and ir7rn
as hereinafter excepted, that full pardon is
hereby granted to them and each of them with
restoration of all rights of property except as to
slaves, and In properly cases where the rights of
third parties shall have intervened, and upon
the condition that every such person shall take
and subscribe oath and thenceforward keep
and maintain said oath inviolate, and which oath
shall be registered for permanent preservation.
and shall be of the tenor and effect following to
wit
do solemniy swear, in presence of Almighty
God, that will henceforth faithfully support.
protect and defend the Constitution of the Uni
led States, and the Union of the States thereun-
der, and that Will in like manner abide BY and
faithfully support all acts OF Congress passed
during the existing rebellion with reference to
slaves, so long and so far not repeated, mod
ited or held void by Congress or by the decis-
ion of the Supreme Court, ana that will in like
manner abide by and faithfully support all proc
lamatlons of the President, made during the ex-
isting rebellion, having rference to slaves, so
lar as not modified or declared void by decision
Of the Supreme Court. So help me God.
The persons except IRON the benefits of the
foregoing provisions all who are or shall have
been civil or diplomatic officers agents of
the socaled Confederate Government, all who
nave eftjudicial stations under The United States
10 aid the rebellion, all who shall lave
been military naval officers OF said SO called
Confederate Government, above the rank of co.
lionel IN The army, OF lieutenant in the navy all
VINO have Left seats the Unlted s tates Congress
TO aid the rebellion, ali wno resigned commits
slons in the army or navy of the Unitud States
and afterwards aided the rebellion, and all who
have engaged in any way in treating coloured
persons, er white persons IL charge Of such, 9TH
ervise than lawfully as prisoners Of war, aud
which persons mey have beer found the Uni
ted States service soldiers, seamen or in any
other capacity And do flu. tt,er proclaim. de-
clare and make known that whenever, in any of
the States Of Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, Mis-
sissippi, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, Florida,
South Carolina ana North Carolina, number of
persons not less than one-teDth in number of the
votes cast in such States at the Presidential g.
lection of the year of cur Lord lS63--each hav-
l0g taken the oath aforesaid and not having since
violated it, and being qualified voter by the u
lection law of the States existing Immediately
before the SO called act of secession, and excu-
ding all others-shall re-estahlish State govern
ment, which shall be republican, and In nowise
contraviDg said oath, such shall be recognized
as the true government of the State, and the
State shall receive there under the benefit of the
constitutional provision which declares that ssthe
United States shall guarantee TO every State in
this Union republca form of governments. and
shall protect each OF them against invasion, on
application OF the Legislature, or OF the Execu-
tive when the Legislature cannot be convened,
and against domestic violence.''
And 90 further proclaim, declare and make
known that any provision which may be adopted
by such State government in relation to the
freed people of such State, which shall recog-
nize and declared their permanent freedom, ,pro-
vide for their education. and which may yet be
consistent as temporary arran cement with their
present condition laborlng, landless and
houseless class, will not be objected to by the
tional Executive. And it is engaged as not i'm
proper that, in constructing a loyal State, gov
ernment in any State, the name of the State, the
boundary, the sub divisions, the Constitution
and the general code of laws, as before the re-
beilion, be maintained, subject only to the mod
iiications made necessary by the conditions
hereinbetore stated, and such others, If any, not
contravening said conditlons,- and which may be
deemed expedient by those. framing the new
State government.
To avoid misunderstanding, it may be proper
to say that this proclamation, far as it relates
to State governments, has no reference to States
wherein loyal State governments have al the
while been maintained. And for the same rea--
sen IT may be proper to further say that whether
he edmitted to seats constitutionaliy, rests ex-
clusivey with the respective house., and not to
any extent with the Executive and, stu further,
that this proclamation is intended to present to
the people of the States wherein the national
thority has been suspended, and loyal Safe gov
ernmants have been subyerted, mode in and
by which the national authority and loya. State
governments may be re-e Stablish within said
States. or in any Of them sand while the mode
presented is the best the Executive can suggest
with his present impressions, it must not he un-
derstood that no other possible mode would be
acceptable.
Given under Inv hand, atthe city of Wash
ington the eighth day OF December. A. D. one
thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and Of
the independence Of the United States of AE.er-
lea the eig' y eighth
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
By the Pr ,dent
W.hLIAM H. SEWARD,
III Secretary OF State.
The following is Lineon's congrstalation to
Grant:
| WASHINGTON, December 8, 1868.
! Major =Gsn1ydl G37nt:
| Understanding that your lodgment at Chatta-
/ n0oga and KHoxvile is now secure, L wish TO
/ tender YOU and al under your command my more
than thanks-py profoundest gratitude-for the
| skill courage and perseverance,, with which you
1 and they, over so great difficulties, have effec-
/ ted that important object. God bless you all.
A. LINcoLN.''