Maryland free press., 1863-01-09
EMANCIPATION PROCLA ATtoN.
By the President Of the United States Of
1merica.
APPROXIMATION.

Whereas, on the 22d day of September, in
the ytdt of our Lord, 1862, a proclamation was
issued BY tht President Of the United States
containing, among other things, the following,
to wit:
That ON the first day of January, in the
year of our Lord, 1868, all persons held as
nlaves within any State, or designated part of
a State, the people whereof shall thtii be in re-
! bellion against the United StatAS ~i.g', u
be in rebellion against the United States, shall
be thcnccforwafd and forever free. and the Ex-
ccutive Government of the United States, in
clading the military and naval authority
thereof, will recognize and maintain the free
dom of such persons, and will do no act or acts
to rcpress such persont, or any of them, in
any effort they may make for their actual free
dom; that the Executive will, on the first day
of January aforesaid, by proclamation, desig-
nate the States and parts of States, if any, in
which the people therein respectively shall
then be in rebellion against the United States;
and the fact that any State and the people
thereof shall, on that day, be in good faith rep
resented in the Congress of the United States,
by members chosen thereto at elections, where
in majority of the qualified voters of such
State shall have participated, shall, in the alb
sence of strong comtcrvailng testimony, be
deemed conclusive evidence that such State and
the people thereof are not then in rebellion
against the United States
Now, therefore, ], Abraham Lincoln, Prcsi-
dent of the United States, by virtue of the
power in me vested, as Comfnandcr.in-Chit of
the army and navy of the United States, in
time of actual armed rebellion against the au-
thority and government of the United States,
and as fit and necessary war measure for sup
pressing the said rebellion, do, on this, the
first day of january, in the year of our Lord
one thousand eight hundred and sixty-thrco,
and in accordance with my purpose so to do,
publicly proclaim, for the full period of one
hundred days from the day first above men-
toned, order and designate as the States and
parts of the States wherein the people thereof
respectively are this day in rebellion against
| the United States the follnwinq to wit: Ar
kansas, Texas, Louisiana, except the parishes
Of Saint Bernard, Plaqucmines, Jefferson,
Saint James, Ascension, Assumption, Terre-
bone, Lafourchc, Saint Martin and Orleans,
including the city of New leans, Mississippi,
Alabama, Florida, Georgia South Carolina,
North Caroline and Virginia, except the forty
eight counties designated as West Virginia,
and also counties OF Berklcy, Accomac, North
ampton, Elizabeth City, York, Princess Anne
and Norfolk, including the cities of Norfolk and
Portsmouth, and which excepted parts are for
the present left precisely as if the proclama-
ton were not issued.
And by virtue of the power, and for the pur-
pose aforesaid, do order and declare, that all
persons held rs slaves within the said dcsig-
mated States and parts Of said States arc and
hcncelorward shall be, free; and that the exc
cutive government of the United States, inclu-
ding the military and naval authorities thereof,
will recognize and maintain the freedom of
said persons; and hereby cnjoin upon the
people 50 declared to bc free to abstain from
all violence, unless in necessary sclf-defence,
and recommend that in all cases, when al
lowed, they labor faithfully for reasonable
wages.
And further declare and make known, that
such persons of suitable condition will be re-
ccivcd into the armed service of the United
States, to garrison forts, positions, stations and
other places, and to man vessels of all sorts in
the said service.
And upon this act, sincerely believed to be
an act of justice, warranted by the Constitu-
ton upon military necessity, invoke the con-
sideratc judgment of mankind, and the gra-
cious favor Of Almighty God.
In witness whereof have hereunto set my
hand and caused the seal Of the United States
to be affixed.
Done at the city of Washington this first day
of January, in the year Of our Lord 1868,
and Of the independence of the United
States Of America the eiShty-seventh
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
BY the President.
WILLIAM Ii. SEWARD, Secretary of State