Daily national Republican., 1863-05-08

PROCLAMATION BY THE PRESIDENT.
Foreigners Subject to
Enrolment. ''.
The Plea of AIIonags viii not be Allowed
to those who have Declared their
Intentions to become citizens.
by THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
OF AMERICA.
-FOUR O'CLOCK. p. NJ.
A PROCLAMATION.

A PROCLAMATION.
Whereas the Congress Of the United States,
at its last session, enacted q law entitled can
act for enrolling and calling out the National
Forces and for other purposes, - which was ap-
proved on the Sd of March, last; and whereas
II is recitcd in the said act that there now exists
in tho United States an insurrcCtion and re-
bCllion against the authority thereof, and II is,
under the Constitution Of the United States, the
duty Of the Government to suppress insurrec-
tion and rebellion, to guaranty te each State u
republican form Of government, and to pre-.
serve tho public tranquility; and whereas, for
these high purposes a military force is indis-
pensable, to raise and support which all persons
ought willingly to contributor and whereas no
service can be more praisewOrthy and honor
able than that which is rendered for the main.
tenance Of the Constitution and Union, and the
consequent preservation Of free goyernments
and whereas for the reasons thus rected 1t was
enacted by the said statute that all able-bodled
male citizens Of the United States, and persons
Of foreign birth who shall have declared on oath
their intention to become citizens under and In
pursuance ofthe laws thereof, between the ages of
81 aud As years, (wlth certain exceptions not
necessary to he here mentloned,) y are declared
to constitute the national forces, and shall be
liable to perform military duty in the service
of the United States when called ont by the
President for that purpose;
And whereas 1t Is claimed BY and in behalf of
persons Of foreign birth Within the ages spccl.
fed In said act, who have heretofore declared
on oath their intention to become citizens un-
der and In pursuance Of the laws of the United
States, and who have not cverciscd the right
ofsuiirage or any other political rranchize under
the laws of the United States, or of any of the
States thereof, are not absolutely concluded by
their aforesaid declaration or intention from
rcnounclug their purpose to become citizens;
and that, on the contrary, such persons, under
treaties or the law Of nations retain a right to
renouncc that purpose, and to forego the priv
ileges Of citizenship and residence within the
United States, under The obligations imposed
by the aforesaid act Of Congress.
Now, therefore, to avoid all misapprehen-
sions concerning tie liability Of persons con-
cerned 10 perform the service required by such
enactment, and to give il fun effect, DO hereby
order and proclaim that no plea Of aienage
will be received or allowed To exempt, from the
bIigltiOnSimpOscdh 10y the aforesaid act of Con-
gress, any person offoreign birth, who shall have
declared on oath his intention TO become n citl-
zcn Of tue United States under the law thereof,
and who shall he found within the United States
at any time during the continuance of the
present insurrcctiOn and rebellion, at or after
tho expiration Of the period of sixty five DAYS
from the date Of this proclamation. Nor shall
any such plea of alionagc be allowed in favor
of any such person who has so aforesaid de-
clared his intention to become u citizen Of the
United States, and shall have exercised at any
time the right of suffrage or any other political
franchise within the Ihiled Stulca, under the
laws thereof or under the laws of any of the
several Statc7.
In witness whereof, have hercunto set nv
hand, and caused the seal Of the United States
to he aiilved.
Don" at the city Of Washington this eighth
day Of May, in the year of our Lord
L.s. one thousand eight hundred and sixty
three, and Of the independence Of the
United states the righty-scvcnth.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
By the President:
WILLIAM II. SEWARD, Secretary of State.