Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1865-04-15
EXCLAMATION.

| Whereas. in and by the Constitution OF the United
States is provided that the President shall have power
10 grant preyes and pardon- for offences against the
United States, except in cases Of impeachment and
! Whereas rebellion now exists whereby the loyal
State of several States have for long time
been subverted and many persons have committed ana
are now guilty of treason against 'he United States and
Whereas with reference 10 said rebellion and treason,
laws have been enacted by Congress, declaring forfeit
and confscaton of properly and liberation OF slaves
all upon terms and conditions therein stated ana also DE
carng that the President was therey anCfzeu al any
time thereafter by proclamation to extend to persons
who may have participated in the EXISTING rebellion 10
any state or part thereof pardon and amnesty WIN such
executions and at such times aud on such conditions AZ
| he may deem eXpedient for the public welfare and
Whereas the congressional declaration for limited anG
conditional pardon aceords WITH we-es'a"'hed Jfe"i
| exposition OF the psrdoning uoweE and
| Whereas With reference 10 said rebellion tic Presi
dent Of the United states ha- issued several procama
ton, Will provisions IN regard to the LIBERATION OF SAVES
whereas It q uov desired by persons heretofore
engaged in said rebc-ol % resume Their alIegianceto
the Unned States e -enauguate loyal state govern
ments within and for Their respective states theefor
l. ABRAHAM LmcoLi, President OF the United states,
do proclaim, declare alG mae known to al persons VINO
have directly by implcasc participated IN the exist
ing rebc lion except hereinafter excepted shat iuD
psrdon hereby granted 20 them and each OF then with
restoration az all gh 81 yroOerty except a. 70 slaves
and in propety cases where rights Of thj parties shall
have inervened and upon Inc condton taa every s9cb
person sLa take and subscribe az oath and tnenceioI
ward hes and maintain SAID oath nyioiate ana WHICH
oath shall be registered or permanent preser!aNon anu
shall be of the tenor sn effect following to Wit -
| a. ----, DO soernly swear, IN presence Q! Al
rpirhty God that will henceforth faithfully support
protect and defend the Contribution Of the United states
and the union Of the States thereunderi ald tst WILL
in like manner abide by and faithfully support a., acS o.
Congress passed during the existing rebellion WIZ reisi
ence slaves long and SO fr as not repeated m91
tied or held void by Con or by decision OF the Sa
meme Court and that will, in like manner, aDice by
and faithfully support all Of the Fresieent
made during the existing rebellion having reference 70
slaves so long and far not modified OF declared yoio
ty decision Of the supreme Court SO help me God
The persons excepted from the benefits OF the foregoing
provisions are all who shall have been civil or dpo
st fcar or agents of the so-csled Confederate Gov
n1reu ali who have left judicial stations under the
Intel states 20 aid the rebellion all who are or shan
have been military naval officers OF said so-called
Confederate above the rank OF colonel IN the
amy or of lieutenant in the navy all who left seats IN
the ni.ed States Congress 70 aid the rebellion gu "h1
resigned commissions in the army or navy oil tle Gheu
States and forwards aided the rebellion ana al HIo
have engaged ia any treating colored persons or
white persons in charge Of such otherwise than e"iuy
a prisoners Of and which persons MAJ have oeen
found IN the United Ststes service IS s@cer auen OF
Az IS f-thar proclaim, declare, and ake Known,
that vheneve in any Of the states OF Arkansas, Texas
Louisiana Mississippi Tennessee Alabsma Georgia Flor
ida South rclnaand " Caro- ina number OF persons
MT less than cue tenth in number OF the votes cast u slch
state az the Presidential election OF the year OF our LORD
tioua = eight hundred and sixty each having taken
the oath afo e,ad and not having violated IL and
beng qualified voter by the election law q the state
existing immediately before the so-caled act o. secession
and excluding all Others shall rr-esahsh state gov
errneut which shall be republican and in no wise con-
,ei said ath such shall be recognized the true
cover n,ent Of the STATE ard the state shall receive
bere1nder the benefits Of the constitutional provision
which declares that 1rhe United States shall guaranty
70 every state in this Union republican form oil
government and shall protect eacn OF them aganh ID
yasion and on application Of the Legislature or the ex
ecutive, when the legislature cannot be conYeted')
against domestic violence.
! And do further proclaim, declare and make known
that any provision which may be. adopted By such
u Vovcrnment in relation 70 the freed people Of such
stsI, vhlch shall Recognize ana declare their perma-
ns,t f-sedorp nrovie for their education, and which
nav W, be consistent az Q temporary arrangement with
their present condition laboring !andess and home
lea class will not be objected by the national Exec
ptve And Ia sue gested not improper that in con
structing loyal state government in any state the
ree Of the STATE the boundary the subdiysions the
cous tuition end Che general code oflaws az before the
ebeIon be maintained subject only 10 the notifications
made necessary by the conditions hereinbeore stated.
and such Others fsny not contrayeung said conditions
and which may be deemed expedient by those framing
the NJ v State government.
To avoid Misunderstanding Il may be proper to Say
that thu proclamation, far as il relates to state gov
ernmeuts has reference 10 States wherein Oys! gov
erueuts have all the while been maintained And for
the reason, it may be proper TO further say that
whether mem bers sent 10 Congress from any state shall
he admitted to ,sats constitutionay, rests exclusively
with Che respective houses and not 70 any extent With
the Executive. And still further, that this proclama
ton int nded &c present the people OF the states where
in the national authority has been suspended and
loysi state governments have been subverted
mode in and By which the national authority and
loyal state governmental may Be reestablished with
in said states, or N any OF teln anu nhHe ne noo PRIV
scented the best the Executive suggest with his pre-
sent Impressions IL must not be understood that Other
possible mode would be acceptable
Given under my hand at the city OF Washington the
9th day OF December A. y. thousand eight hundred
and sixty-three and Of the independence Of the
4 =. a. United States of America the eghtyeighth.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
WILLIAM H. SEWARD, Secretary oil State,
book wherein TO record the taking Of the shove oath
by such persons entitled 10 take It may apply, IL 10
the custody of -. Al, who il author
lied TO administer said oath 10 such persons Of that vic
nity and is required 10 give 70 every such person request
ing certificate in the form below and which oerf
cate shall be uotn other mode Of proof shall be
suthortavey provided Sufficient evidence OF the facts
certified to entls the rghfu holder u the benefits
: promised In sad proclamation.
a Il do hereby certify that on TIE - day OF - 1885 ,
At the oath prescribed " TIE Pres dent Of the un
I'd states In hIs proclamation q; neemher 1873 xss
hal and ndr ~ IL hu