Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1864-07-23
Plan for the Re-AdmlsSiOn Of the Seeded
States.-ProCIamati Of the President.

WHEREAS, At the late session Congress passed
bill to guarantee to certain states whose govern
ments have been usurped overthrow, a repub-
li"an form of government, copy Of which is here
unto annexed; and
WHEREAS The said bill was presented to the
President of the United States for his approval less
than an hour before the siRefdie 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 subj ect, and which plan IL is thought fit tc
lay before the people for their consideration
Now, therefore, /, Abraham Lincoln, President
of the United States, do proclaim, declare and
make known that, while am, as was in Decem
Der last, when by proclamation 1 prOpounded
plan fer restoration, unprepared, by formal APP
prevail of this bill, to be infexibly committed to
any single plan of restoration, and while also
unprepared to declare that the free State consttu-
tiOns and governments already adopted and in
stalled in Arkansas and Louisiana shall be set
aside, and held for naught, thereby repelIing and
discouraging the loyal citizens who have set up
the same to further effort, to declare consti-
tutonal competency in Congress to abolish slavery
in the States, but am the same time sincerely
hoping and expecting that constitutional amend
ment aboiishing slavery throughout the nation
may be adopted, nevertheless 1 am fully satisfied
with the system for restoration contained in the
bill, as one very proper for the loyal people of
any State choosing to adopt 1t, and am and at all
times shall be prepared to give the executive aid
and assistance to any such people 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 their
obedience of the Constitution ana laws of the
United States, in which Military Governors
will be appointed, with directions to proceed ac-
cording 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 sth day of
July, in the year of Lord 1864, and of the in
pendence 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 Presi-
dent, is in substance as follows:
The bill as passed provides for the appoint
ment of Provisional Governor for each reb-
ell State, with pay and emoluments of Brig
adler General. Such Governor, 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 their obedience to the COnstitu-
ton and the laws of the United States, is to
direct the United States Marshal to enroll all
the male citizens of the United States resi-
dent in the State, and to require of them the
oath of allegiance. In case majority of the
persons enrolled shall have taken the oath,
the Provisional Governor shall, by proclama-
ton, invite the loyal people of the State to
elect delegates to Convention for the re-es-
tablishment of the State Government, citi-
zens who are in the military service to be al
lowed to vote at their headquarters for dele
gates. No person who has held Office, or vol
UNFAIRLY borne arms under the rebel usurpa-
ton, is to be allowed to vote for a delegate,
or serve as delegate to the Convention. The
convention is required to declare the sub
mission of the State to the Constitution and
&c 81 T,;t
in its Constitution provision DISTINGUISHING
all who have held offices, except merely
ministerial, or military below the grade of
Colonel, under the usurped power. A
provision has been incorporated prohibiting
involuntary servitude and guaranteeing uni
versal freedom, and a provision forbldding
the recognition or payment of any debt ere
ated or sanctioned by the usurped power.
The people of the State are to vote for or
against 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-establsh 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 in
voluntary servitude in the rebel States are
declared forever free, and if restrained of
their liberty hereafter, to be discharged on
habeas corpus, the person convicted ofrestrain-
ing them to be punished by heavy fine and
Imprisonment. Every person hereafter hold
ing Office, except those merely ministerial or
below the grade of Colonel, is declared not
to be a citizen of the United States.