The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1863-12-16
PROCLAMATION.

WHEREAS in and by the Constitution
the Pre.iurnt shall have power to grant
reprieves and pardous tur Offences against
the United States except III cases vi III
and whereas rebeliiun now
exists, whereby the loyal States, aud gov
crnmcnts OF several States have lUr a lunS
time been subverted, and many persons
have cUmmItteu, aud are now guilty OF
treason against the United States, aud,
whereas, with reference to said reueilIun
aud treason, laws have been euated bJ
Congress, declaring the forfeiture anu
connscation OF PROPERTY and liberation
of slaves, all upon terms aud conditions
therein stated, ali upon terms and cunu.-
tlons therein stated, and also declaring
that the President Was thereby ahtuoTlz-
cd, at any time thereafter, py proclaina-
ton, tU .xtelid to tcrsuns VINO lnay have
participated Iii til. lcueillon III ANY State
part ,nereoi, pardon and amnesiJ, with
SuIh exceptions, aiid at such truleo, anu
ON such conditions as he may deem ex
pedicmt, for the Puoi,c welfare; and,
whereas, the Cong ,esstonal declaratlen
cords with we'll established Judicial eX-
positions of Tue p"ruon.ns power; anu:
" heleas. with reference to oaid ieDcl-
hon, Tie President of the United States
has ISSUED several proclauations, with
provisions with rey.rd To this liberia
,lun of Slaves; anu, WhJre~s, 1t Is now
desired, by some persons heretofore
cugaSed III said rebellion, to resume
their allegiance To tine Uniicd otates, anu
rcInaugur4tc loyal State uoyernmouts
within aud ior their respective States,
therefore,
L, Abraham Lincoln, President of the
Unlteu States, DO l'roc.z.in, ueclare, ant
make known to ali persoiis VINO have Ill
roctiy, or by Implication, aiticipatou I'll
the existing reDciiion, cAvci.t as nercin-
alter excepted, that iuIi paruon Is grant
eu to them, and each o. tlluin, with Ivstu-
ratlcn OF all rights, Ii thru parties shall
have interviewed, anu upon .nc cohut,ion
tnaL every such party snail III and SUP
scribc an oath Sanu Inca,eioi ard Aeop
and maintain Such oath lnvIoiate anu
waielI oath shall0e resrstei cd Tor perina-
nept preservativn,3 anu shall be of the
tOuOI anu CACSt W WI
do soiemniy swear III presence of AL
mighty uou tlat / Will hence. erth raliii-
ltuiiy support, protect anu ucIcnu the
| Constitution oi the United States, the
union of the States thercunicr, aud .hai
Will In like manner auiue i'y and Ialt l.
fully support all acts oi Cong reos pass.
! ed uurInS the existing rcGeIIion vita
re. erence to slaves auu 50 ,ong ana 81
lar as not yet repeated, nuu,hcd ol
held void by unsltss or toy decision oi
! the Supreme Court, and that 1 Will III
(! like manner aDiue ny and IattnIuiiy sup
. port all proclainatlons ot the President
! made during The existing reuciiIun, nav
ing retcreuJc to slaves, 50 long ana 81 iaI
as not modified ur dc, Jared voiu by u--
clslon OF the supreme Court, 80 nv.p u,e
Uod.
/ he persons excepted from the bone
fits OF The foregoing provisions are All
! who are VI shall nave CIVIL or diplomatic
officers or agents OF the so-calIcd Con-
teuerate uovcrnment, all who have leIt
judicial stations under the l. nited Duties
10 aid the rebeIliun, ali who are or shai,
! have been military or naval olncers OF Inc
rank OF colonel lii the army or lIeutenant
in the Navy, all who lc,t seats i'll the
| United States Congress lo aiu III tic re-
beilion, all who resigned their comn,is-
siuns in the army or navy OF the United
States and attci aided the roDelIlon,
and all who have engaged in any way III
treating cuiorei persons or wnlte persons
III charge of such otherwise than lawful
nj
may be found in the United States sci "
ing as soIuters, sea.iicn, or III any o.uer
capacity. }sA
And do further proclaim, declare and
make known, that whenever, i'll amy of
the States OF Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana,
mississippi, Tennessee Aiapama, ueorg a,
Florida, Florida, South Carolina aud
North Carolina, nuniUcr 81 persons not
less than one tenth oil the number of the
votes cast in such State at the rres.dcn-
tial election Of the year of our Lord 1860,
each having taken the oath aforesaid and
not having since violated 1t, and being
qualified vuter by the eieetiun ami Jaws
of the State existing immediately before
the 50 called act of SECESSION anu cxclud-
ing all others shall DC established State
80, eriilnent, which shall be republican
and i'll no wise contravening SAID oath,
such shall be recognized as the true gov
erninent of the State. and the State snail
receive Hereunder the benefits OF the con
stitutional provision which declare tnal
tie United States snail guarantee to
every State in this Union KepuDiican
isr,n OF government and shall protect each
of them against invasion, and ON appiica-
ton of the Legislature OF the Executive
when the Legislature conyen,d. against
domestic vioieH,e. f af
And do iurther proclaim, declare and
make known that amy provision which
may be adopted by such State Govern
ment IN relation to tle freed people ol
such State, whlrh shall recognize a.li de-
clare their permanent ineeaom aud pre-
vide 3or their education, aud which may
yet be consistent, as temporary arrange
ment, with their. present conultion as a
lahoring, iahdIcss und homeless class, will
not be o6JectedS to b ) .ic Natloali la