Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1863-12-18

navy all who left seats IN the United
States Congress 10 aid the rebellion; all
who resigned commissions in the army or
navy of the United States and afterwards
aided the rebellion, and al who have en-
esred in any way in treating colored per-
sons, or white persons in charge OF such,
otherwise than lawfully as prisoners OF war,
such persons having been found in the Uni- y
ted States service as soldiers, seamen, or in
any other capacity.
do also further proclaim, declare and
make known that. whenever in any Of the
states of Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, Mis-
issippi, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, Flor
ida South Carolina and North Carolina
namh1r Of persons, not less thar. .one-tenth
in number OF the votes cast in each state at
the presidential election of the year OF our
Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty,
each having taken the oath aforesaid and
not having since violated it, and being
qualified voter by the election law of the
state existing Immediately before the So
called act of secession, and excluding all
others, shall re-establish state govern
meAt which shall be republican and in no
wise contravening said oath, such govern
ment shall be recognized as the true gov
ernment of the state; and the state shall
receive, Hereunder, the benefits OF the con-
stitutiona provision Which declares that
Z" the United States shall guarantee toevery
State in the Union republican form OF
government, and shall protect each of them
against invasion on application of the legis-
lature, or the executive when the leglsia-
ture cannot be convened, and against do-
mestic violence"
And do further proclaim. declare and
make known that any provision, which may
be adopted by scid state government, in re-
laton TO the freed people of such state,
which shall recognize and declare their
permanent freedom and provide for their
education, and which may yet be consistent
as a temporary arrangement, with their
present condition as a laboring, landless
and houseless class, will not be objected to
by the national executive, and il is suggest
ed as not improper that, in constructing a
loyal state government 10 any stale, the
name of the state, the boundaries, the sub
division. the constitution and the general
code of laws, as before the rebellion, be
maintained, subject to the notifications
made necessary by the condition herenbe-
| IOFG stdtSus anu SUCH OtuSle, "a "'ys Hot WI
| travening said conditions, and which may
be deemed expedient by those framing the
new state government. s@
| To avoid misunderstanding, il may be
proper to say that this proclamation, so far
| as it relates to state governments, has no
| reference to states wherein loyal state gov
emments have all the while been maintain
| ed and for the same reason it may be prop
i er to further say that whether members
sent to Congress from any other state shall
be admitted to seats. constItutionally rests
exclusively with the respective houses, and
not TO any extent with the executive; and
still further that this proclamation is intend
ed to present the people of the states, where
in the national authority has been suspend
ed and loyal state governments have been
subverted, a mode in and by which the ma
tional authority and loyal state governments
may be re-established within said states, or
in any of them and while the mode pre-
sented is the best the executive can suggest
with his present impressions, it must not be
understood that no other mode would be
acceptable.
Given under my hand at the city of Wash
ington, this eighth day of December, in the
year of our Lord one thousand eight hun.
dred and sixty-three, and of the independ-
enee of the United States OF America the
eiahiy-eighth. ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
BY the President, Wm. II. Seward, Sec
retary of State.