The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1863-01-16
Linnoln,s Proclamation.

Lincoln ETOClhLudllOus
The Philadelphia Inquirer of the I'd inst.
contains the first of January proclama-
ton of Abraham ], which we annex as
part of the history Of the times;
WASHINGTON, Jan. LIST, lS63.-By the
President of the United States OF Ameri-
cat
A PROCLAMATION.
Whereas, on the twenty-second day of
September, in the year OF our Lord one
thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, a
Proclamation was issued by the President
of the United States, containing, among
other things, the following, towit:
THAT on the first day Of January, in
the wear of our Lord one thousand eight
hundred and sixty-three, all persons held
as slaves within any State or designated
part of a State, the people whereof shall
then be in Rebellion against the United
States, shall be then, thenceforward and
forever free, and the Executive Govern.
ment of the United States, including the
military and naval authority thereof, will
recognize and maintain the freedom of
such persons, and will do no act or acts
to repress such persons, or any of them,
in any effort they may make for their ac'
tive freedom.
THAT the Executive will, on the fist
day of January aforesaid, by proclama-
ton, designate the States and parts of
States, if any, in which the people there
in, respectively. shall then be in rebellion
against the United States. and the fact
that any State and the people thereof
shall, on that day, be in good faith repre-
sented in the Congress Of the United
States, by members chosen thereto at
elections wherein majority of the quail
fed voters of such State shall have parti.
eipated, shall, in the absence OF strong
eOuntervailing testimony, be deemed con-
elusive evidence that such State and the
people thereof are not then in rebellion
against the United States"
Now, therefore. |, Abraham Lincoln,
President of the United States, by virtue
of the power in me vested as Commander
in Chief of the Army and Navy OF the
United States III time of actual armed re.
bellion against the authority and govern
ment of the United States, and as a fit
and necessary war measure for suppress
ing the said rebellion, do, on this the first
day Of January, in the year of Our Lord
one thousand eight hundred and sixty
| three, and in accordance with my pur-
pose so to do, publicly proclaim, for the
full period Of one hundred days from the
day above mentioned, order ond designate
as the States and parts Of States wherein
the people thereof respectively are this
day in rebellion against the United States,
the following to wit:
Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, Except the
parishes of st. Bernard, Plaquemines,
Jefferson, st. James, Assumption, Terre.
bone, Lafourche St. Martin and Orleans
including the city of New Orleans,) Mis-
sissippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South
Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia
Except the forty.eight counties Of Berke'
| ly, Accomac, Northampton, Elizabeth
City, York, Princess Anne and Norfolk
and Portsmouth, and which excepted
parts are for the present left precisely a;
if the proclamation were not issued.
And by virtue OF the power and for the
purpose aforesaid, do order and declare
that all persons held as slaves within the
said designated States and parts of said
States, are, and henceiorward shall be
free; and that the Executive Government
of the United States; including the mill
tary and naval authorities thereof, will re
cogrize and maintain the freedom Of sale
persons.
And | hereby enjoin upon the people
so declared to be free to abstain from VIC
lence, unless in necessary self-defence
and | recommend to them that in al
cases, when allowed, they labor faithfully
for reasonable wages. And ] furthey de
clare and make known that such persons
of suitable condition will be received intC
the armed service of the United States
to garrison forts, positions, stations, ana
other places, and to man vessels of al
sorts in the said service. And upon this
act, sincerely believed to be an act of jus
tice, warranted by the Constitution, upon
military necessity, invoke the conside
rate judgment of mankind and the gra
cous favor of Almighty God.
In witness whereof, ] have hereunto SCI
my hand and caused the seal Of the
United States to be affixed.
--> Done at the city of Washington
I SEAL this the first day of January
49, in the year of our Lord ont
thousand eight hundred and sixty-three
and of the Independence Of the United
States of America the eighty-seventh.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
By the President,
WIN. II. SEWARD, Sec'y of State.