The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1864-01-13


matte officers or agents of the so-called
/ Confederate Government; all who have
! left judicial stations under the United
/ States to aId the rebellion ali who are or
shall have been naval or military officers
T of the So called Confederate Government,
above the rank of Colonel, in the army or
of Lieutenant in the navy; all who lett
seats in the United States Congress TO
aid the rebellion; all who resigned com-
missions in the army or navy OF the
I United States and afterwards aided the
rebellion and al who have engaged IN
any way in treating colored persons or
white persons in charge of such, other
wise than lawfully as prisoners of war,
and which persons may have been found
in the United States service as soldiers,
seamen, or IN any other capacity; and |
Go further proclaim and uake known
that whenever in auy of the States of
Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi,
Tennessee, Alabama, Florida, South Car
olna and North Carolina, a number Of
persons not less than one-tenth in num-
Der Of the votes cast in such States at
the Presidential election 10 the yea- of
our Lord 1860, each having taken the
oath aforesaid and not having since vio-
lated it, and being a qualified voter by
the election law OF the State existing i'm.
mediately before the so called act of Sc
cesslon, and excluding all others, shall
re-establish a State Government. which
shall be republican, and in no manner
contrayenipg said oath, such shall be
recognized as the true Government of
the State, and shall receive hereunder
the benefits Of the constitutional provis-
ion Of she United States, which says the
United States shall guarantee to every
State in this Union a republican form of
government, and shalt protect each Of
them against invasion on application of
the Legislature or of the Executive, when
the legislature cannot be convened against
domestic violence.
And do further proclaim, and make
known, that any provision that may be
adopted by such State Government, i'll
relation to the freed people Of such State,
which shall recognize aud declare theil
permanent freedom, provide for their
education and which may yet be consist
ent as temporary arrangement with the
laboring, landless, and houseless class,
will not be objected to by the National
Executive; and it is engaged as not i'm
proper, that in constructing loyal State
Government in any State, the name of
the State, the boundary, the subdivision,
the constitution, and the general code of
laws, as before the rebellion, be main
tanned, subject only to the notifications
made necessary by the conditions herein
tofore stated, and such others, if any not
contraveniug the said conditions, and
which may be deemed expedient BY those
framing the new State Government.
To avoid any misunderstanding, it may
be proper to say that this proclamation,
so far as it relates to State government,
has 20 reference to States wherein loyal
State governments have all the while
been maintained, aud for tho same reason
it may be proper to say, that when mem
bers sent to Congtess from any State, shall
be admitted to seats constitutionally, rests
conclusiVelg with the representatives, of
both Houses and not to any extent with
HE Executive; and.stilI further, that this
proclamation is intended to present to the
people Of the States wherein the national
authority had been suspended, and loyal
State governments have been subvetted,
a mode in and bv which the national au-
thorIty and loyal State governments may
be established in said States or in any Of
them, The mode presented is the best
the Executive can suggest. With the
present impression,n no other possible mode
would be accepted.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.