The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1865-06-24
RECONSTRUCTION.
PROCLAMATION BY THE PRESIDENT

Whereas, the fourth section of the
| fourth article of the constitution of the
United States declares that the United
States shall guarantee to every State in
the Union republican form ofgovern-
ment, and shall protect each of them
against invasion and domestic violence;
and whereas, the President of the United
States is, by the constitution, made Com
mander-in-C Chief of the army and navy,
as well as chief civil executive officer of
the u. States, and is bound by solemn
oath faithfully to execute the office of
President of the United States, and to
take care that the laws be faithfully ex-
ecuted; and whereas, the rebellion,
which has been wared by aportion ofthe
people of the United States against the
properly constituted authorizes OF the
government thereof in the most violent
and revolving form, but whose organized
and armed forces have now been almost
entirely overcome, has in its revolutions
airy progress deprived the people of the
State of Alabama of all civil governments:
and whereas, it becomes necessary and
proper to carry out and enforce the obi
cations of the United States to the peo-
pie of Alabama in securing them in the
enjoyment of a republican form of gov
eminent:
Now, therefore, in obedience to the
high and solemn duties imposed upon
me by the constitution of the United
States, and for the purpose of enabling
the loyal people eff said State to organize
q State government, whereby justice
may be established, domestic tranquility
restored and loyal citizens protected in
all their rights of life, liberty and pro-
,arfx, ANrnpCyU TnuNSnN DraoiAonf
of the United States and COMMANDMENTS
Chief of the Army and Navy of the
United States, do hereby appoint Lewis
e. Parsons, of Alabama, Provisional
Governor of the State of Alabama, whose
duty it shall be, at the earliest practi-
cable period, to prescribe such rules and
regulations as may be necessary and
proper for converting convention, COM
posed of delegates to be chosen by that
portion of the people of said State who
are loyal to the United States, and no
others, for the purpose of altering and
amending the constitution thereof; and
with authority to exercise, within the
limits of said State, all the powers ne
cessary and proper to enable such loyal
peoples of the State of Alabama to restore
said State to its constitutional relations
to the Federal government, and to pre-
sent such republican form of State
as will entitle the State to
the guarantee of the United states
therefor, and its people to protection
by the United States against invasion,
instruction and domestic violence:
Provided that in any election that may
be held hereafter for choosing delegates
to any State convention, as aforesaid, no
person'shall be qualified as an elector, or
Shall be eligible as member of such
convention, unless he shall have previ-
ously taken and subscribed the oath OF
amnesty, as set forth in the Presidents
proclamation of May 20, A. ID. 1865, and
| is voter qualified as prescribed by the
constitution and laws of the state 7 II
Alabama, in force Immediately before
the nth day of January, A. ID. 1861, the
date of the sO-called ordinance OF seces-
sion. And the said convention, when
convened, or the Leglsiatlire, that may
be hereafter assembled, VIII prescribe
tho Qualifications of elector and the
si;r;hilitv of persons to hold Office UNI
der the constitution and laws of the
State-a power the people of the several
States composing the Federal Union
have rightly exercised from the origin
of the government to the present time,
~ "
Here follow the instructions to the
heads of the different departments,
which are precisely similar to those pro-
vided for the States of North Carolina,
Mississippi, Texas and Georgia.
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
twenty-first day of June, in the year
of our Lord one thousand eight hum
dred and sixty-five, and of the indie
pendence of the United States the
| eighty-ninth.
ANDREW JOHNSON.
BY the President:
WIN. 81. SEWARD, Secretary of State.