The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-12-18
PROCLAMATION OF THE PRES
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Whereas-In and by the Constitution OF
the United States it is provided tnat the
President shall have power to grant re.
pr.eve and pardon for offences against the
United States except in cases OF impeach-
ment; a..l.
And ,,hereas-A rebellion now exists
wherein the laws of the United States and
enactments of special States have for a
long time been suspended and many per-
sons have committed and are now guilty
of treason against the United States;
And arher'eds-With reference to said re-
bellon and treason laws have been en-
acted by Congress exacting the forfeiture
and confscation of property and liberation
of slaves, all upon conditions therein
stated, and also declare that the Presi-
dent was thereby authorized at any time
thereafter by proclamation to extend par
don to persons who may have participated
in the existing rebellion in any State or
part thereof, with such exceptions and on
such terms and on such conditions as he
may deem expedient for the public well
fare.
And ,rhereas-The Congressional De-
claraton for limited and conditional par
don accords with well established judicial
expositions on the pardoning power;
And achereas-With reference to said
rebellion the President of the United States
has issued several proclamations, with pro-
visions in regard to the liberation of slaves,
inviting persons heretofore engaged in said
rebellion to resume their allegiance to the
United States, and reinaugurate loyal State
governments within and for their respec-
tive States;
Therefore I, ABRAHAM LINCOLN, Presi
dent of the United States, do proclaim,
declare, and make known to all persons
who have directly or indirectly participated
in the existing rebellion, except as here
after named, that full pardon is granted
to them and each of them with restoration
of all rights, upon the condition that every
such person shall take and subscribe an
oath and thencetorward keep and main
tain said oath inviolate; and which shall
be filed for permanent preservation, and
shall be of the tenor and effect following,
to wit:
do solemnly swear in presence of Almighty
God that will hencefOrth faithfully support
protect and defend the Constitution of the
United States and the union of States thereof;
that l will in like manner uphold and faithfully
support all acts of Congress passed during the
rebellion with reference to slaves, so long and
SO far as rot repealed, modified or held vetoed
by Congress or by decisions of the Supreme
Court and that will in like manner abide by
and faithfully support all proclamations of the
President made during the existing rebellion,
having reference to slaves, so long and so far
as not modified or made void by decisions of
the Supreme Court. So help me God.
The pereons excepted from the foregoing
provisions are all who are or shall have
been military or civil 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 like rank in the navy; all who
left seats in the United States Congress to
aid in the rebellion all who resigned their
commissions in the army and navy of the
United States, and afterwards aided the
rebellion; and all who have engaged in
any way in treating colored persons or
white persons in charge of such, other
wise than lawfully as prisoners of war,
and which persons may be found in the
United States service as soldiers, sergeants,
or in any other capacity.
And do further proclaim, declare and
make known that whenever in any of the
States OF Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, Mis-
sissippi, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia,
Florida, South Carolina and North Caro-
lima, a number of persons not less than
One-fOurth of the number of the votes
cast in such State at the Presidential cleo
ton Of the year of our Lord 1860, having
taken the oath and not having since viO-
lated it, and being qualified voter by the
election laws of the State at or immedi-
ately before the Stat act of secession and
excluding all others, Shall be established as
State Government, and in no wise con-
travening said oath, shall be recognized as
the true Government of the State, and
the State shall receive Hereunder the BEN
efits of the constitutional provision which
declares that the United States shall
guarantee to every State in this onion a
republican form of government and shall
protect each Of them against incursions.
on application of the Legislature, or
the Executive when the Legislature can
not be convened, against domestic vio-
lence.
Second-I do further proclaim, declare
and make known that any provision which
may be adopted by such State government
in relation to the freed people of such
State which shall encourage and declare
their permanent freedom and provide for
their education, and which may yet be
consistent as 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
in assuming a loyal State government in
any State, the name, the boundary, the
subdivision, the constitution, and the fed
eral code of laws as before the rebellion,
be maintained, subject only to modifca-
tions necessary by the conditions hereinbe-
fore stated, and such others, if any, not
contravening 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 relates to State governments, has
not reference to States wherein loyal
State governments have all the while been
maintained, and for the same reason it
may be proper further to say that wheth-
er members sent to- Congress from any