The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1863-12-18
PR OCL A Nj A ITO

Whereas, BY the constitution of the United States
it is provided that the President shall have power
grant reprieves and pardons for Oh rnses against III
United States, excep, l Of impeachment: aIt
sherea rebellion exists whereby the loyal star,
governments Of the several states have for long time
been subverted, aud many persons have committed snd
guilty OF treason against the United States and
whereas with reference TO said bron and treason law
have been enacted 10y Congress declaring the tofeitures
and conh5cs;ian of properly and the liberation OF slaves
all upon terms and conditions therein stated and also de
ciaring that tine President thereby authorized at
time thereafter by proclamation 70 extend to persons who
may have participated i'll he existing rebellion in any
stare part thereof pardon and AMNESTY, with such
cep.io and At such times. and such conditions he
deem eNptdient for The public welfare and where's
the congressional declaration for limited and conditional
sccords will: the well e-;ablised Judicial exposition of the
psrdonng power and whereas. with reference TO said
beliou the President OF the ed has issued
al procamstiOns with provisions in regard to the liberia
ton OF slaves and whereas. il il desired by
persons heretofore engaged i'll aid rebellion. to
their allegiance 10 the acd Safes and 20 rensugurae
loyal state governments within and Tor their respective
.ates:
Therefore l. Abraham Lincoln PRECEDENT Of the United
States do proclaim occiae and make known 10 all pei
who have directly Ky implication participated in
the existing rebellion. except hereinafter excepted
that full pardon is hereby grau!ei TO them and of them
with the restoration OF ali their tights of property excep
to slaves ana in property ahere the rights Of m
parties shall have INTERVIEWED. upon The condition tina
every such peson shall take and ubscrie oath and
tneuceorw ard keep ard main, ain said oath involac
which oath shall be regi-tered 10! permanent preservation
and shall he OF the tenor and eject following 70 wit "
DO soleninly III the presence OF Almighty God tina
viii hcncetorh faithfully SUPPORT protect and dctead
the constitution of :he United States and the Union
States Hereunder and that will in like manner abide
by and fait hfuilv support all ,he acts OF Congress pass"
during the existing rebellion with reference slaves,
long and far they repealed. odie held
void by Congress by decision Of the supreme and
that will in like abide by and faithfully sup
port all the pocsmati0ns OF tie President made during
rebellion rel q III
and 30 far they modified declared void by the
decision Of the supreme court. So help me God"
The pcr-On pied the benefits of the foregoing
provisions are all who or shall! have BEEN civil or dip
lOmac officers agents Of the -O-alled confederate gov
eminent all who have left judicial stations under the
United States TO aid the rebellion all Who sEHll
have been mill AIRY al officers Of said so-cae
federae gov men above the rank Of colonel in the
and of lieutenant in the navy a who left seats in thu
United States Congress aid he rebellion al who
igned copnl siOns in the army Of The United
States and sferw ar aided the rebellion, and all who
have engaged in way in earing coored persons,
white persons in charge OF such, otherwise than lawful,
prisoners of such persons having been found in h
United STAKES service AZ soldiers esmen OF in any othe
capacity.
do also further proclaim, declare and make know
that whenever in Of the states Of Arkansas. Tex.
Louisiana Mississippi Tennessee, Alabama. Georgia
Florida Sou Carolina aud North Carolina q number
persons not ess than Onetenth in number of the vote
in such the Presidential election of the year
cur Lord thousand eight hundred and sixty eachav
ing taken the oath aforesaid and not havi since viola
ea j, and being qualified voter by the election law O
the state existing Immediately before the ocalei act
secession, and excluding all Others shall rc-estsblish
state government which shah be republican and in II
wise Intervening ssid OATH such government: shall b
recognized ~ the government Of the stee snd tn
state shall receive hereunder the benefits of the
tuOnal provision VIII ch declares thai The United state
shall guarantee 10 state in the Union republica
form of government. shall p each them agans
invasion application OF the ,sature the executiv
when the legislature be convened against doInelti
violence"
And do further proclaim, declare and make know
that provision. which may he adopted by said
government in relation 10 the freed people OF such state
which shall recognize and declare their permanent free
dom and provide for their education and which
lie cons-tenIa- temporary arrangement with their pre-
ent condition aboring lsnd!ess and houseless
will not be- Oh ected to Ky the national executive and il
suggested improper that in constructing a Iowa
state government in any state the he state tn
hOundsre he subdivision the Ia ion and the geners
code of law before the rebellion. maintained sui
Ject TO the modification made necessary by condio
herein before stated and such Others if contray
enng said conditions and which may he deemed expt
dent by those framing the new state government.
To avoid misunderstanding, i. may be proper 50
that this proclamation far relates 10 state govern
men has no reference to wherein loyal go,
ernnen's have all the while been msin aimed and fo
The came il be proper 10 FUR her saw tia
whether members sent TO Congress from any shall l.
admitted 10 leafs. constifu.onally exclusively wi
the respective houses and no. 10 any extent with the
ecutve: and still rher that this proclamation is utel
ded 10 present the people of the wherein the natio
al hority has been suspended and LOYAL govern
mens have been subverted. mode in and Ev which tn
national AL hori'y and loyal state governments NAV !,
rs-estsblished within said any of them an
while the mode presented is the bee, the executive cal
suggest with his present impressions, il he uu
der4tood that no Other mode would I,e acceptable
Given under my hand a. the city of Washington hi
eighth day o. December. in the wear Of our Lord OH
thousand eight huI ed snd sxtv-three and OF the indie
pendence Of the United states of America the SSth
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
By the President
WI. H. SEwARp, Secretary of state