Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1863-12-16

enacted by Congress declaring the forfeit
ure and confiscation of property and lib
Grafton of slaves, all upon terms and con-
ditions therein stated, and also declaring
that the President was thareby authorized |
at any time thereafter, by proclamation, |
to extend to persons who may have par
in the existing rebellion, in any !
State or part thereof, pardon and amnes-
ty with such exceptions and atsuch terms |
and on such conditions as he may deem |
expedient for the public welfare; and |
whereas the Congressional declaration for |
Initiated and Constitutional pardon &C
cords with the well established judicial |
expositions Of the pardoning power; and |
whereas with reference to said rebellion
on the President of the United States has
issued several proclamations with provis-
ions in -egard to the Liberation of slaves,
and " :. sreas ID is now desired by some
person heretofore engaged in said rebell-
ion to resume their allegiance TO the Uni
ted States, and reinaugurate loyal State
government within and for their respected
States, therefore, /, Abraham Lincoln,
President of the United States, do pro-
claim, declare, and make known to all
persons who have directly or by implica-
ton participated in the existing rebellion
except as hereinafter excepted, that full
pardon is granted to them, and each OF
them, with a restoration of all rights, If
third parties shallnot have interyened, and
upon the condition that every such per
son shall take and subscribe an oath, and
thenceforwsrd keep and maintain said
oath inviolate, and which oath shall be
registered for permanent preservation
and shall be of the tenor and effect fol-
lowing, to wit
do solemnly swear in presence of Al
mighty God that will heneeforth faith
fully support, protect and defend the
Constitution of the United States and the
Union of States hereunder, and that
will in like manner abide by and faithful
" support all acts of Congress passed du-
ring the existing rebellion with reference
to slaves, so long and so far IS not repeal
ed, 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 OF the
President made during the existing re-
bellion, having reference 10 slaves so long
and so far az not modified or declared
void by the decision of the Supreme
Court, so help me God.
The persons excepted from the bene-
fits of the foregoing provisions are all
who are or shall have been, civil OF diplo-
matte officers or agents of the so-called
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 the rank of Colonel in the army, or
Lieutenant in the navy; all who left seats
/ in the United States Congress to aid in
the rebellion; all who resigned their COM
missions in the army and navy OF the
| United States, and afterwards aided the
rebellion; and all who have engaged IN
treating colored persons or white persons
in charge of such, otherwise than lawful
! ly as prisoners Of war, and which persons
may be found in the United States service
as soldiers, seamen, or in any other ca
pacity And do further proclaim, de-
clare and make known that whenever
in any OF the States of Arkansas, Texas,
| Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Alaba-
ma, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina and
North Carolina, a number of persons not
less than one-tenth Of the number Of the
votes cast in such State at the Presiden.
! tial election of the year of our Lord 1860,
each having taken the oath aforesaid,
! and not having since violated it, and be-
ing a qualified voter by the election laws
Of the State existing Immediately before
1.-The so-called act of secession, and exclud-
ing all Others, shall be established State
Government which shall be Republican,
and in no wise contravening said oath,
shall be recognized as the true govern
ment of the State, and the State shall re-
ceive there under the benefits Of the con-
stitutional provision which declares that
the United States shall guarantee to eve
~ State in this Union Republican form
Of government, and shall protect each of
them against invasion, on application of
the Legislature or the Executive, when
the Legislature cannot be convened,
against domestic violence and do fur
I theT proclaim. declare and make known
that any provision which may be adopt
ed by such State Government IN relation
to the freed people of such State, which
shall recognize and declare their perma-
nent freedom, and provide for their edu-
cation. and which may yet be consistent
as temporary arrangements with their
present condition as laboring, landless
and homeless class, will not be objected
to by the National Executive, and il is
suggested ss not improper that in con-
structing loyal State Government in any
State, the name Of the boundary, the
subdivision, the constitution, and the
Federal code, as before the rebellion, be
maintained, subject only to notifications
made necessary BY the conditions herein
before stated, and such others, if any, not
contrayening said conditions. which may
be deemed expedient by those framing
the new State government. To avoid
misunderstanding, it may be proper to
say that this Proclamation SO far as it re-
lates to State governments, has no refer
ence to States wherein loyal State govern
lments have all the while been maintain
ed and for the same reason il may be
proper to further say, that whether mem
Y bers sent to Congress from any State shall
be admitted 10 seats constitutlonally
rests exclusively with the respective
Houses, and not to any extent with the
Executive and still further that this
proclamation is intended to present tc
the people of the States wherein the Ma
tional authority has been suspended, and
loyal State governments have been sub
yerted, q mode by which the Nationa
authority over every loyal State govern
ment may be established within said
States, or any Of them, and while tbs
mode presented is the best the Executive
can uggest, with his present impressions
it must not be understood that anothel
possible mode could not be accepted.
I Given under my hand at the city O
Washington the Sth day Of December
! A. D. One thousand eight hundred ano
sixty-three, and of the Independence
of the United States of America the
eighty-eight.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN
By the President,
WN. II. SEWARD, Sec'y of State