Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1863-01-07
The Great PrOclamat'n!
A Fit and Necessary War Meas
ure for SURPRISING the
Rebellion!
The Slaves are Now and Forever
Free
Their Freedom Maintained by the
Military and Naval Authorities.
WASHINGTON, January |,

america.
WHEREAS, On the 22nd day Of Sep
TENDER, in the year of our Lord, 1862,
a proclamation was issued by the Presi
dent of the United States, Containing,
among other things, the following, TO
wit:
That on the LIST day Of January, III
the year of our Lord, 1868, nil persons
hsld as slaves within any State or design
ated part of a State, the people whereof
shall then be in rebellion against the
United States, shall be then henceforth
and forever free. and The Executive Gov
eminent of the United States, including
the military and naval authorities thereof
will recognize and maintain the freedom
of such persons, and will do no act or
acts to repress such persons and any of
them in any effort they may make for
their actual freedom, that the Executive
will, on the first day Of January afore-
said, issue procl omation designating
the States, if any, in which the people
therein respectively shall then be in re-
bellion against the United States; and
the fact that any State, or the people
thereof, shall on that day DO in good
faith represented in the Congress of the
United States by members chosen there
to at elections wherein majority of quail
fled voters of such States shall have par
ticipated, shall, in the absence of strong
countervailing testimony, be deemed
conclusive evidence that such State and
the peope thereof are not in the robsll
ION against the United States.
Now, therefore, I, ABRAHAM LINCOLN,
President of the United States, by virtue
of the authority in mo vested as Com
maDder-in Chief of the Army and Ma
Wy. in time of actual armed rebellion
against the authority of the Government
of the United States, rs fit and neessa-
ry war measure for suppressing said re-
bellion, do, on this First day Of January
in the year of our Lord, One Thousand
Eight Hundred and Sixty-Three, public
ly proclaim at the full period of Que hun
dred days from the date of the first
aforementioned order designating the
States and parts of States, the people
whereof respectively arc this day in re-
belion with the United States, the fol-
lowing to-wit Arkansas, Texas, Mis-
sissippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia,
South CaraIina, North Carolina land
Virginia.
The Proclamation includ the States
of Arkansas Texas, and louisiana, ex
c,pt the parishes of st. Bernard, Plaque
mines, Lafourch, St. Mary, St. Martin,
and New Orleans, including the city of
New Orleans; also Mississippi, Alabama,
Florida, Georgia. South Carolina, North
Carolina and Virginia, except the forty
eight counties designated as Western
Virginia, and also tho counties of Bermu
da, Portsmouth etc. which excepted
parts are for the present left precisely as
if this proclamation were not issued, and
bv virtue Of the power, and for the pur-
pose aforesaid, order and declare that
all persons held as slaves within the des-
ignated State and parts of States are and
hence shall be free, and that the Execu-
tive Government of the United States.
including the military and naval authori-
ties thereof will recognise and maintain
the freedom of said persons, and here
by enjoin upon the people 50 declared to
be fee, to abstain from all violence I'M
les. in necessary se'fdefense, and l re
commend to them that in all cases, when
allowed, they labor faithfully for reason
able wages, and further declare and
make known that such persons of suita-
bic condition will be received into the
armed service of the United States to
garrison forts, positions, stations, and
other places, and to man vessels of all
sorts in said service, and upon this pro-
clamation, sincerely made rs an net for
justice warranted by the constitution up
on military necessity ! invoke the gra-
cious favor of Almighty God and the
consideratc Judgment of mankind. In
witness whereof l have hereunto set nv
hand snd caused the seal of the United
States to be affixed
Done at the city of Washington, this
first day of January, in the year of our
Lord 1868, and of the Independence Of
the United States the S7th.
(Signed) ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
WIN. Fl. SEWARD, Sec'v of State.