The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1863-01-08
THE YEAR OF JUBILEE HAS
COME!
PROCLAMATION OF FREEDOM TO
THE SLAVES
Let the Rebels r ressAh.e and the
Tories Howl!
WAsuISGrnS. January 1st. 1863.

! WASHINGTON January lst, 1863.
By the President ct' the United States Of
! .fme .ica .
! WHEREAS. on the 22d day of September.
in the Year of our Lord, 1862, Proclamation
was issued by the President Of the United
! States, containing among other things. the
following to-wit: That on the First day OF
January, in the Year of our Lord, One
Thousand Eight Hundred and Sixty Three,
all persons held as slavs.s within any State,
or designated part Of State, the people
whereof >hall be in rebellion against the Un
tied States, shall be then henccforth aad for-
ever free, and the Executive Government OF
the United States including the Military
and Naval authorities thereof, will recognise
| and maintain the freedom of such persons
or any of them in any effort they may make
! fvr their actual freedom. That the Execu-
tive will, on the FIRST day of January afore-
said, issue Proclamation designating the
States and parts of States, il any, in which
the people therein respectively, shall then
be in rebellion against the United States,
and the fact that my State or the people
thereof shall on that day be in good faith
represented in the Congress Of the United
States by the members of Congress elected
thereto at elections wherein a majority Of
the qualified voters of such States shall
have participated. shall, in the absence Of
stronger contraven;ng testimony be deemed
conclusive evidence that such State, and the
people theI eofsre not in tho rebellion against
the United States Government
Now, therefore, I, ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
President of the United States, by virtue of
the power in me vested, as Commander. in
Chief Of the Army and Navy, in time of ac-
tual rehellion against the authorities of the
Government of the United States, fit aud
necessary war measure for suppressing said
rebellion, do, on this, the first day of Janu-
ary, in the year of our ord eighteen hun
dred and sixty-three, and in accordance with
my purpose so to do. now publicly proclaim
ed for the full period of 100 days from the
date of the first above mentioned, order and
designate as the States and parts Of States
the people thereof, respectively, are this day
in rebellion against the United States, the
following, ,to-wit Arkansas, Texas. Louisi-
ana, except the parishes Of St. Barnard,
Plaquemine, Jefferson, ST. John, St. Charles,
Ace
Bopne, Laforche, st. Mary, ST. Martin and
Orleans, inclu9ing the city of New Orleans.
Mississippi. Alabama, Florida, Georgia. South
Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia, ex-
cept the forty-eight counties, designated as
West Virginia, and also the counties of
Berkeley, Accomac, Northampton, Elizabeth
City, York. Princess Anne. and Norfolk, in
Guiding the cities of Norfolk and Ports
mouth, which excepted ports arr for the
present, left precisely as if this proclamation
were not issued
And by virtue Of the power, and for the |
purpose aforesaid, do order and declare
that al! persons held as slaves within the
designated States and parts of States, are
and hereforward shall be free and that the
Executive Government of the United States,
including the military aud naval authorities
thereof, will recognize and maintain the
freedom of said persons; and hereby en-
join upon the people as declared to be free,
to abstain fom all violence. unless in neecS-
sary self.defense. And | recommend 10
them that. in all cases, when allowed, they
labor faithfully for reasonable wages. And
farther declare and make known that such
persons, in suitable condition. will be receiv-
ed Into the armed service Of the United
States, to garrison forts, positions, stations,
and other places, and to mann vessels Of all
sorts in said service. And upon this, sin
cerely believed to be an act of justice, war
ranted by the Constitution upon military
necessity, | invoke the considerate juds-
ment of mankind, and the gracious favor of
Almighty God.
In witness whereof, have hereunto set
my hand and caused the seal of the United
States to be affixed. Done a, the City Of
Washington this first day of January, in the
year of our Lord, One Thousand, Eight |
Hundred and Sixty three, and Of the Inde- |
pendence of the United States of America
the Eighty-Seventh.
[Signed,l ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
BY the President;
W, H. SEWARD. Secretary of State