The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1864-07-21
Plan for the rs-admission of seeded States

WASHINGTON, j lily !

WASHINGTON, y ny y.
WHEREAS at the late session Congress
passed bill to guarantee to certain States
whose governments have been usurped or
overthrown, republican form of govern
ment, copy of which is here unto annex
ed and OkereaS, the said bill was pre-
scented to the President of the United States
for his approval less than an hour before the
sine die adjournment of said session, and
was not signed by him, and whereas the
said bill contains, among other things, plan
for restoring the States in rebellion to their
proper practical relation in the Union, which
plan expressed the sense Of Congress upon
that subject, and which plan it is now
thought fit to lay before the people for their
consideration.
Now, therefore, /, Abraham Lincoln, Pres
ident Of the United States, do proclaim, de-
clare and make known that, while am, as
was in December last, when by procla ma
ton propounded plan for restora ton
unprepared by formal approval of this bill,
to be infexibly committed to any single
plan Of restoration, and while am also I'M
prepared to declare that the free State con-
situations and governments already adopted
and installed in Arkansas and Louisiana
shall be set aside, and held for naught, there
by repelling and discouraging the loyal cit
liens who have set up the same as to further
effort, or to declare constitutional competen-
cy In Congress to abolish slavery in the
States, but am at the same time sincerely
hoping and expecting that Il constitutional
amendment abolishing slavery throughout,
the nation may be adopted, nevertheless l
am fully satisfied with the system for resto-
ration contained in the bill, as one very pro-
per plan for the loyal people of any State
choosing to adopt it, and that | am, and at
all times shall be prepared to give the e2l-
ecutive aid and assistance to any such peo-
pie so soon as the military resistance to the
United States shall have been suppressed in
any such State and the people thereof shall
have sufficiently returned to there obedience
of the constitution and laws Of the United
States, in which case Military Governors
will be appointed, with directions to proceed
according to the bill.
In testimony whereof, have hereunto set
my hand, and caused the seal of the United
States to be affixed.
Done at the city of Washington this 8th
day of July, in the year of our Lord, 1864.
and of the independence of the United
States the 88th.
ABRAHAM Lincoln.
By the President;
WIN. H. SEWARD, Secretary of State
THE PLAN.
The plan above referred to, as adopted by
congress and thus approved by the President
is in substance as follows:
The bill as passed provides for the APP
pointment of Provisional Governor for each
rebel State, with pay and emoluments of
Brigadier General. Such Governor, SO soon
as the military resistance to the United States
shall have been suppressed in any such State,
and the people thereofshall have sufficiently
returned to their obedience to the constitu-
ton and laws Of the United States, is to di-
rect the United States Marshal to enroll ali
the male citizens of the United States resi-
dent in the state and to require q them the
oath of allegiance. In case a majority of the
persons enrolled shall have taken the oath,
the Provisional Governor shall, by procla-
nation, invite the loyal people of the State
to elect delegates to a Convention for the re-
establishment of the State Government, cit
liens who are in the military service to be
allowed to vote at their headquarters for
delegates No person who has held office
or voluntarily borne arms under the rebel
usurpation, is to be allowed to vote for del
egate, or serve as delegate to the convention.
The convention is required to declare the
submiss on of the State to the constitution
and laws of the United States, and to incor-
porate III its constitution provision disfran-
chising all who have held offices, except
merely ministerial, or military below the
grade of Colonel, under the usurped power
A provision has been Incorporated prohibit
ing involuntary servitGde and guaranteeing
universal freedom, and provision forbiding
the recognition Or payment of any debt Great
ed or sanctioned by the usurped power
The people Of the State are to vote for or a.
gainst the constitution so framed which, if
adopted, shall be certified to the President
who, after obtaining the assent of congress-
shall recognize the government so establish
ed. Senators, Representatives and Electors
may be chosen from the date of such recog-
milton, and not before The Convention shall,
be dissolved if it refuses to re-establish the
State Government upon the above conditions
but another may subsequently be called in
the same manner. Until recognition by the
United States, the Provisional Government
in each State is to see to the execution Of
the United States laws and those Of the State
before it went into rebellion, save that those
relative to slavery shall not be enforced
Until recognition the Provisional Govern
ment is to assess and levy taxes, as they
were required to be levied in the last fiscal
year before the rebellion. All persons held
to involuntary servitude in the rebel States
are declared forever free, and if restrained of
their liberty hereafter, to be discharged on
babeaS corpus, the person convicted of re-
straining them, to be punished by heavy fine
and Imprisonment. Every person hereafter
holding Office, except those merely mliniste-
rial or below the grade of Colonel, is declar-
ed not to be citizen Of the I nited States. |