The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1863-12-18
PROCLAMATION.

S,Suaii uaFe POWcE W Staut topticFcs anu par
dohs for offences against the United States, ex-
pcept in cases Of impeachment" and
Whereas, rebellion now exists whereby the
loyal State governments Of several States have
for a long time been subvertsd, and many per-
sons have committed and are now guilty Of
treason against the United States; and
Whereas, with reference to said rebellion and
treason, laws have been enacted by Congress
declaring forfeitures and confscation ofiproper-
ty and liberation of slaves all upon terms and
condition therein stated, and also declaring that
| the President was thereby authorized atany time
thereafter, by proclamation, to extend 30 per-
sons who may have participated in the existing
rebellion, in any State or part thereof pardon
and amnesty, with such exceptions and at such
times and on such conditions as he may deem
expedient for the public welfare and ~
| Whereas the congressional declaration for
limited and conditional pardon accords with
wel-established judicial exposition Of the par
doning power; and
Whereas, with reference to said rebellion,
the President of the United States he's issued
several sreclamations, with provisions in regard
to the liberation of slaves; and
Whereas, it is now desired by some persons
heretofore engaged in said rebellion tp resume
their allegiance to the United Satesl and to
reinaugurate loyal State governments within
and for their respective States: therefore,
/, Abraham Lincoln, President CT ahe Unit
ed States, do prsslaim, declare, and ma teknown
to all persons who have, directly or BY iInpli-
cation, participated in tho existing hbelion,
except as hereinafter excepted, that aIfull par
don is hereby granted to them and eacli of them,
with restoration of all rights of properly, except
as to slaves, and in property cases VIII ire rights
of third parties shall have interviewed, ind upon
the condition that every such person hall take
and subscribe an oath, and thencefOrvard keep
and maintain said oath inviolate anil which
oath shall be registered for permanent breserva-
tion, and shall be of the tenor and etfe(t follow
ing, to wit:
81, - -, do solemnly swear. in
presence of Almighty God that will hence
forth faithfully support, protect, and offend the
| Constitution Of the United States and dle union
of the States there under; and that will, in
like manner, abide by and faithfully support
all acts of Congress passed during the existing
rebellion with references to slaves, so long and 30
FAR as not repealed, modified or held void by
Congress- or by decision Of the Supreme Court;
and that WILL in like manner, abide by and
faithfully support all proclamations ofthc Pres
ident made during the existing rebellion having
reference to slaves, SO long and so far as not
modified or declared void by decision of the
Supreme Court. So help me God"
! The persons excepted from the benefits of
the foregoing provisions are all who are, or
shall have been, civil or diplomatic officers or
agents Of the so-caled Confederate Government;
all who have left judicial stations under the
United States to aid the rebellion all who are,
or shall have been, military or naval officers of
said so-called Confederate Government above
the rank of colonel in the army, or of lieuten-
ant in the navy; all who left seats in The Unit
ed States Congress to aid ahe rebellion all who
resigned commissions in the army OF navy of
the United States, and afterwards aiCed the re-
bellion; and all who have engaged in sSy 9TH
| er way in treating colored persons or white per-
sons in charge of such, otherwise than lawfully
as prisoners of war, and which persons may
have been found in the United States service
as soldiers, seamen, or in any other capacity.
| And do further proclaim, declare, and make
known, that whenever, iu any of the States of
Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tenn
essee, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, South Caro-
lima, and North Carolina, number of persona,
net less than one-tenth in number of the votes
cast in such 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 government which
shall be republican, and in nowise contravening
said oath, such shall be recognized as the true
government of the State and the State shall
receive hereunder the benefits of the constitu-
tional provision which declares that ''The Unit
ed States shall guaranty to every State in this
! Union q republican form of government, and
shall protect each of them against invasion;
a. nd on application of the Legislature, or the
Ea ecutive, (when the Legislature cannot be
conv ened,) against domestic violence"
Anl' do further proclaim, declare, and make
known that and provision which may be adopt
ed bv such State government in relation to the
freed people of such State, which shall recog-
nize and declare their permanent freedom, pro-
vide for their education, and which may yet be
consistent, jas a temporary arrangement, with
their present condition as laboring, landless,
and homeless class, will not be objected to by
the national Executive. And it is suggested
as not improper, that, i'll constructing loyal
State government H. any State, the name of the
State, the boundary, the subdivisions, the con-
stitution, and the genera! code of laws, as be-
fore the rebellion, be maintained, subject only
TO the notifications made necessary by the
conditions hereinbelorc stated, and such others,
If any, not contravening said conditions, and
which may be deemed expedient ~ those franz
ing the new State government.
To avoid misunderstanding, il may be proper
to say that this proclamation, far as it relates
to State governments, has no reference tS States
wherein loyal State governments have all the
while been maintained. And for the same rea-
son, it may be proper to further say, that wheth-
or napohars sent tn Conprees from anv State