The Portland daily press., 1863-12-10

The following proclamation is appended to
the Message:
PROCLAMATION.
WHEREAS in and by the Constitution of the
United States, il is provided that the President
shall have power to grant reprieves and par
dons for offences against the United States, ex-
cept in cases of impeachment and whereas a
Rebellion now exists whereby the loyal State
Governments of several States have for long
time been subverted, and many persons 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 for
textures and coniiscaton of property and lib
Grafton OF slaves, all upon conditions and
terms therein stated; and also declaring that
the President was thereby authorized at any
time thereafter by proclamation to extend to
persons who may have participated in the ex-
listing 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
well established judicial exposition Of the par
doning power and whereas with reference to
said rebellion the President of the United
States has issued several proclamations with
provisions in regard to the liberation of slaves
and whereas it is now desired by some persons
heretofore engaged in said rebellion to resume
their allegiance TO the United States, and to re-
inaugurate loyal State Governments within and
for their respective States.
Therefore, ], ABRAHAM LINCOLN, President
OF the United States, do proclaim, declare, and
make known to all persons who have directly
orby implication participated in the existing
rebellion except as hereinafter excepted that a
full pardon is granted to them and each ofthem
with restoration OF all rights of property ex-
cept as to slaves and in property cases where
rights Of third parties have interviewed. and
upon the condition that every such person shall
take and subscribe an oath, and thenceforward
keep and maintain said oath nvolablc; and
which oath shall be registered for permanent
preservation and shall be of the tenor and ef-
feet 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 the
States hereunder, and that will in like man
ner, abide by and faithfully supper: all acts of
Congress passed during the existing rebellion
with reference to slaves SO long and so far as
not repealed or modified or held void BY Con-
gress or by decree of the Supreme Court, and
that will in like manner, abide and faithfully
support all proclamations of the President
made during the existing rebellion having ref.
efence to slaves, so long and so far as not mod
ified or declared void by 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 called Confederate Govern
ment; 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, Of lieutenant
in the navy, and all who left seats in the United
States Congress to aid the rebellion
All who resigned commissions in the army
or navy of the United States, and afterwards
aided the Rebellion, and all who have engaged
in any way maltreating eolored persons or
white persons in charge of such otherwise than
lawfully prisoner of war, and which persons
may have been found ia the United States
service as soldiers, seamen, or in any other
capacity And do further proclaim, declare
and make known that whenever in any of the
States of Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, Mssis-
slppi, Tennessee, Alabama Georgia, Florida,
South Carolina and North Carolina, a number
ofpersons not less than one tenth in number OF
the votes cast in such States at the presden-
tial election of the year of our Lord one thou
sand eight hundred and sixty, having taken the
oath aforesaid, and not having since viola
ted il and being qualified voter of the cleo
ton law Of the State existing immediately be-
fore the So called act of Secession and exclu
ding all others shall reestablish State Gov
ernment, which shall be Republican, and in no
wise contraventing said oath. such shall be
recognized as the true Government OF the
State, and the State shall receive these under
the benefit of the constitutional provision
which declares that the United States shall
guarantee to every State in this Union, re-
publican form of Government aud shall protect
each of them against invasion on application
Of the Legislature or the Executive where
the Legislature cannot be convened, against,
domestic violence. And.l do further proclaim
declare and make known that any provisions
which may be adopted by such State Govern
ment in relation to the freed people of such
State which shall recognize and declare their
permanent freedom, provide for their educa-
ton, and which may yet be consistent as tenn
porary arrangement with their present condi-
ton as laboring, landless ard harmless class
viii not be objected 10 by the national execu-
tive.
And it is suggested as not improper that in
constru citing n loyal State Government in a
State, the name of the State, the boundary, the
subdivisions, the Constitution and the general
code of laws as before the rebellion be main
tanned, subject only TO the notifications made
necessary by the conditions hereinbefore stated,
and such others il any not conlaventing said
conditions and which may be deemed expedient
by those framing the new State Government,
to avoid misunderstanding, it may be proper
to say that the proclamation, so far as it relates
to State governments has no reference to States
wherein loyal State Governments have all
the while been maintained.
As for the same reason il may be proper fur
Their to say that whether members sent TO con
gress from any State shall be admitted to seats
constitutionally rests exclusively with the re-
spectye houses, and not TO any extent with the
executive; and still further, that this proelama-
ton is intended to preserve the people of the
States wherein the national authority has been
suspended and loyal State Governments have
been subverted, mode in and by which the
national authority and loyal State Governments
may be established within such State, or in any
OF them, and while the mode presented is the
best the executive can suggest with his present
impressions, il must not be understood that no
other possible mode would be acceptable.
GIVEN under my hand, at the city of Washing
ton, the eighth day of December, A. D. one
thousand eigh; hundred and sixty-three and
OF the Independence of the United States of
America the eighty eighth.
Signed) ABRAHAM LINCOLN,
BY the President
signed) WV, II, SEWARD,
Sec'y of State.
WAR MEETING.-At the head OF our col