Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-05-26
THE FORGED PROCLAMATION.

THE FORGED PROCLAMATION
The criminal fraud just practised on the New
York press by the fabrication of the spurious
Presidential proclamation does not rise to the
dignity of the famous "moon hoax" of Mr..
Locke, but is about as ingenious as the pretended
annual message Of President Van Buren to Con-
gress in 1888, though not as innocent as was that
amusing invention. This fraud of Wednesday
morning on the press of New York caused great
sensation in that excitabc city until the deception
was discovered, and then the trick itself was the
great topic of the day. It has not been traced to
its authors, although it would seem to have origi
mated in New York, aud the detectives have been
on the alert.
The spurious document, it appears, was car
ried to the different printing Offices in mani
fold writing in the semblancc of telegraph news,
but at SO late an hour that obtained admission in
but two or three journals, the others having gone
to press. Even the proprietors Of those papers
which gave currency to the forgery had left their
offices, and the employees who inserted it had no
suspicion that it was not genuine tclegraphic news
The publication of the document, however, was
followed by serious consequences to the proprie-
tors of the journals thus imposed upon.
We learn from the New York papers received
last night that Gen. Dix by direction of the Sec
retary of War, had on Wednesday suppressed the
two newspapers which gave publicity to the spurious
proclamation-the Journal of Commerce and the
World-and ordered the editors of those papers to
be imprisoned in Fort Lafayette. (The latter part
of the order, it appears, was subsequently sus-
pended.) This seems to US, we must say, very
harsh proceeding-to infict severe punishment
on citizens of honor and character for being the
victims of an infamous fraud. 1t was punish
ment enough, we should think, to be made the
innocent instruments of villanous imposition,
to which all men are liable, without adding the
penalty of damage to their property and incarcera-
tion Of their persons. They have Published at
New York protest against the severity of this
proceeding in which the facts of the case fully
stated, and which, in justice to them, place be-
fore our readers.
Protest of Me Editors Of The World and Journal
Of Commerce.
Will you obige by publishing in your columns the
this evening towards the World and the Journal of Com
merce regarding the publication in mornings ssues Of
the forged proclamation pupor ting to be signed by Pre-
sideu Lincoln appointing day OF fasting and prayer and
calling into the military service four hundred thousand
The document in question written the manifold
paper such s used tor all the dispatches sent to the
several newspapers Of assocstion and had every
terna appearance and mark to identify it genuine de-
spatch arriving 10 the regular course Of business.
II was delivered at Office late at night at the time Of
the receipt OF our latest Of for edo-
mt as Urn
ing Offices were closed
1t was delivered at all nearly all Of the newspaper
Offices and published in part of the morning editions Of
the Journal of Commerce aud World and as we are
formed, in part OF the editions OF one or more OF our
contemporaries.
Eary this morning the fact that the despatch had not
been sent by the Agent of the Associated Press became
known to us and it's fraudulent character Mt
nounced upon bulletin boards and reward of FIVE hun
dred dollars offered by for the discovery of the foeer
The Executive Committee of the Associated Press also
offered smilar reward Of Thousand dollars as the
fraud had been attempted to be perperaed upon all the
Journals composing association.
We took pains 10 the afternoon to apprize Gen Dix of
the facts in the and gave him such information in
gard to the circumstances of the forgery might assist
him in the discovery Of s author The Government
at once put possession OF the facts in the
Nevertheless this evening Gen. Dix acting under per-
smptory orders from the Government placed Offices
under strong military guard and issued warrants for the
arrest of the editors aud propretors Of the World and
Journal of Commerce., and their imprisonment in Fort
Lafayette vessel was lying under steam ut Of the
yrharves To convey us tblther
CHANGING to OF the officers Of Gen Dirs staff
charged with the execution of this order proceeded in
his company TO the headquarters of the Department of the
East and informed by Gen Dix that the order for
arrest had been suspended but that the order for the
preston Of the publication OF the World and Journal OF
Commerce had been rescnded and that we could not
be permitted enter Offices, which continue under the
charge Of the military guards.
We protest against this proceeding Weprotest against
the assumption Of completely with this shameless for
gerry implied ia the order for arrest. We protest
against the suppression of Journals for the misfortune Of
being deceived by forgery not less ingenious plausible
than the forged report of the Confederate Secretary of
War; which Secretary Seward made the basis OF diplomatic
action. PRIME, STONE, HALE a. HALLoCK,
a.# Journal Of Commerce.
MANToN MARBLE, Wortd.
Neo York, May 18, 1864