Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-05-09
Results Of a Cavalry Expedition
from Yorktown.
FROM VIOKsBURG AND BELOW.
MOvementg Of General Grant.
Items from Southern Sources.
PRESIDENTS PROCLAMATION.
W~AsHINGTOE, May S.
A PROCLAMATION

By he President of The United States OF
America
WHEREAS, The Congress Of the United
States at its last Session enacted a law en-
titled "An Act for enrolling and calling
out the national forces and for other pur-
poses" which was approved on the third
day Of March last aud
WHEREAS, It is reeited in said act that
there now exists in the United States an
insurFeotion and rebellion against the au-
thority thereof and it is, underline Consti-
tuition Of the United States, the duty Of the
Government to suppress insurrection and
rebellion, to guarantee to each State a re-
publican form of government and to pre-
serve the public tranquility; and,
WHEREAS, For these high purposes a
military force is indispensable, to raise and
support which, all persons ought willingly
to contribute; and,
WurpzAa.
worthy and honorable than that which is
rendered for the maintenance of the Con-
stitution and the Union, and the consequent
preservation of free government; and,
WHEREAS, For the resources thus reci-
ted, 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 IN oath their inten-
ton to become citizens under, and in pur-
susnce Of the laws thereof between the
ages Of twenty and forty-fve years,
with certain exceptions, not necessary
to be herein mentioned, and declared to
constitute the national forces and shall
be liable to perform military duty in the
service Of the United States when called
out by the President for that purpose; and
WAEREAs, It's claimed in behalf Of per-
sons Of foreign birth within ages specified
in said act, who have heretofore declared
on oath their intentions to become 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 United States, or of any Of the States
thereof, are not absolutely excluded by
their aforesaid declaration Of intentions
from renouncing their purpose to become
citizens, and that on the contrary such
persons under treaties, or the law of ma
tons, retain a right to renounce the pUr-
pose and to fOrego the privilege of citizen
ship and 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 I do
hereby order and proclaim that no plea Of
a~lienage will be received or allowed TO ex-
empt from the obligations imposed by the
aforesaid act Of Congress any person Of
foreign birth who shall have deslsred on
oath his intention to become q citizen Of
the United States under the laws thereof,
and who shall be found within the United
States at any time during the continuance
Of the present instruction and rebellion
ator after the expiration Of the period Of
IS days from the date Of this proclama-
ton, nor shall any such plea Of alienage
be allowed in the favorO Of any such persons
who have so, as aforesaid, declared their in
tentiou TO become citizens of the United
States. and shall have exercised at any
time the right of suffrage CT any other po-
litieal franchise within the United States
under the laws of any Of the several
States. By the President
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
Csigned,) VIZ. H. Swans, Sec. OF Estate.