The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-07-22
PROCLAMATION OF THE PRES.
Plan for Reconstruction OF State Go.
.u r r-. vefhments. m r
WASHINGTON, July 9, 1864.
PROCLAMATION.

'I-'--~SsAsce
WASHINGTON, July 9, 1864.
PROCLAMATION.
WHEREAS, At the late session, Congress
passed bill to guarantee to certain States
whose governments have been usu'ped or
overthrow, republican form Of govern
ment, copy Of which is hereunto an
nexed; and whereas the said bill was pre-
sented to the President of the United
States for bis approval less than an hour
before the sine die adjournment of said
session, and was not signed by him, and
whereas the said bills contains, among
other things, pan for restoring the
States in the rebellion to their proper prac-
tic al relation to the Union, which plan e1.
pressed the sense of Congress up IN that
subject, and which plan it is now thought
fit to lay before the public for their con-
sideration:
Now, therefore, I, Abraham Lincoln,
President of the United States, do pro-
claim, declare, and make known that,
while / am, as l was in December last,
when by proclamation I propounded a
plan for restoration, unprepared, by for
NAL approval of this bill, to be inflexibly
committed to any single plan of restora-
ton, and while am also unprepared to
declare that the free site constitutions
and governments already adopted and in
stalled in Arkansas and louisiana shall be
set aside, and held for naught, thereby re-
polling and discouraging the loyal citizens
who have set up the same as to further
effort, or to declare constitutional compe-
tency in Congress to abolish slavery in the
States, but am at the same time sincerely
hoping and expecting that constitutional
amendment abolishing slavery throughout
the nation may be adopted, nevertheless I
am fully satisfied with the system for res
tOration contained in the bill, as very
proper plan for the loyal people of any
State choosing to adopt it, and that l am
and at all times shall be prepared to give
the executive aid and assistance to any
such people so soon as the military resis-
lance to the United States shall have been
suppressed in any such State, and the peo-
pie thereof shall have sufficiently returned
to their 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
9Th day of July, in the year of our Lord
eighteen hundred and sixty four; and OF
the independence of the United States the
SSth ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
By the President:
. VIM. II. 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 appoint.
ment OF a Provisional Governor for each rebel
State. with paw and emoluments Of BrigadieI
General. Such Governor, SO soon as the mill
tary resistance to the United States shall have
been suppressed in any such State, and the PEG.
pie thereof shall have sufficiently returned
to their obedience to the Constitution and
laws of the Uni ed States, is to direct the Uni
ted States Marshal to enroll all the male citi-
zens of the United States resident in the State,
and to require OF them the oath of allegiance.
In case a majority of the persons enrolled shall
have taken the oath. the Provisional Governor
shall, by proclamation. invite the loyal people
of the State to elect delegates to Convention
for the re-cstabliShment of the State govern
nient, citizens who are in the military SER
vice TO be allowed to vote at their headquar-
ters for delegates. No person who has held
Office, tr voluntarily borne arms under the
rebel usurpation, is to be allowed to
vote for delegate or serve as dele.
gate to the Convention. The Convention is
required to declare the submission of the State
to the Constitution and laws of the United
8 ates and to incorporate in its Constitution q
provision DISTINGUISHING all who have held off,
| ccs, except merely ministerial or military be.
| low the grade of colonel, under the usurped
power. provision has been incorporated
| prohibiting Involuntary servitude aud guaran-
teeing universal freedom, and provision for.
| bidding the recognition or payment OF any
| debt created or sanctioned by the usurped
power. The people of the State are to vote
| for or against the Constitution SO framed
which, ifadopted shall be certified to the Pres
| ident, who, alter ob!ainining the assent Of Con-
gress shall recogn re the government SO es
tablished. Senators, Representatives and
| electors may be chosen from the date of such
| reco yDition and not bef,re. The Convention
shall be dissolved if it refuses to re- establish
| the state government upon the above cOndi
tions, 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 U.
States laws and those of the State before il
went into rebellion, save that those relative to
slavery shall not be enforced. Until rec0gni
tiOn the Provisional Government is to assess
and levy taxes as they were required to be lev
led in the last fiscal year before the rebellion
| All persons held to involuntary servitude in
the rebel States are declared forever free, and il
restrained OF their liberty hereafter, to be dis
| charged on hdbeas corpus. the person convicted
of restraining them to be punished by heavy
fine and Imprisonment. Every person hereaf
ter holding Office, except those merely ministe
rial or below the grade of colonel, is declared
not to be a citizen of the United States. z
The Return of VallandIgham.
| Special disnatch To the N Y Herald