Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1865-04-14
PROCL AVIATION.

United States except in cases Of impeachment and
Whereas a rebellion now exists whereby tue
state governments Of several States have for long
been subverted aud many persons have committed
are now guilty Of treason against the nl.ed states
Whereas with reference to said rebellion and tTea
laws have been enacted b. Ccngress declaring ior
ures and confscation of properly and Liberation OF sal
al uDon terms and conditions therein stated and also
carng that the President was thereby authorized az
time thereafter BY proclamation, to extend 70 per
who may have participated IN the EXISTING releilion'
any State or part thereof pardon and amnesty IN
exceptions and at such times and on sucl conftOnsJ
| be may deem eXpedent for the public welfare ano
Whereas the congressional declaration for Limited
conditional. pHrcn actOrds with well estaDis0el uol
| exposition OF the pardonng power and
Whereas Will reference 10 said rebellion the ~
dent Of the United States has issued several proca
tons with provisions in regard to the liberation Of say
| and j
Whereas it Is now desired BE- some persons heretoq
engaged in said rebellion 10 resume their allegiance
the United States and 10 renaugurate loyal State gov
ments within and for their respective states Nereioi
l. ABRAHAM LINCOLN. President OF the United Staf
do proclaim declare and make known TO all persons
have directly or b. implication, participated IN the ex
ing rebellion, except as hereinafter eXceptet tAaV
pardon is hereby granted 70 them aud each OF them
restoration of all rights of property except a. 70 sa
and in property cases where rights of third parties
have inerened and upon the condition that every II
person shall take and subscribe an oath and thencet
ward keep and maintain sad oatL iayiolate, A1c
oath shall be registered for permanent Preservation
shall be Of the tenor AMI effect following, 10 wit
az do solemnly sTea-, iC presence Of
mighty God. that l will henceforth faithfully supP}
protect and defend the Constitution OF tie United s1y
and the union Of the States Hereunder and that
in like manner abide BY and faithfully support all aetI
Congress passed during the existing rebellion r.h RI
ence to slaves so long and so fr as not repealed
fed, or held void by Congress or ~ decision o. tre
preme Court; and that Will IN like manner abloeI
and faithfully support all procamatons OF the PresdI
made during the existing rebellion having reference
slaves SO long and far not modified OF declared
by decsion Of the Supreme Court sc help me Goo.
The persons excepted from the benefits OF the ioregoI
prov sons are all who are, or shall have oeen civil or
matte officers or agents Of the so-caed Confederate
kernmen. all VINO have left judicial stations under
United states to ala the rebellion all y no are, or
have. BEEN military naval officers o. sad 20 -eaJ
Confederate Government above the rank OF colonel 10
army or of lieutenant in the navy AL who left seat
tie United States Congress to aid the rebellion az
resigned commissions in the army or navy Of Toe
States and afterwards aided the rebellion ana al
have engaged in any way in treating colored persons
white persons in charge of such otherwise than aNi
as prisoners Of war, and which persons may Lave n
found in the United States service as soldiers seamenI
in any other capacity.
And do further proclaim, declare and n AXE knoi
that whenever in any Of the States Of Arkansas, Te
louisiana Mississippi Tennessee, AlabSma, Georgia, ~
ida South Carolinaard NJ Carolina number OF pels1
not less than one tenth number OF the votes cast in 81
state az the Presidential election Of the year OF our
one thousand eight hundred and sixty each having t
tie oath aforesaid and not having since VIOLATED H.
being quali6ed voter BY the election law OF the 81
exisnp Immediately before the so.caed act Q! sece5Sf
and excluding all o;hers shall re-estsblish state q
eminent which shall be republican, and IL no wise q
travering said oath. such shall be recognized as the
COVE of the State, and the stase shall recel
hereunder the benefits of the constitutional progi
which declares that "rhe United States shell guard
TO every State in this Union republican iomu
government and shall pfo.ec. eacE OF them against
rsson and on application Of the Legislature or TIE
ecutiye, when the legislature cannot be oonVef
against domestic violence
And do further proclaim, declare, alc make knd
that any provision which may be ADOPTED q
state government IN relation % the freed people OF
STATE which shall recognize and declare theiE PERI
nent freedom provide for their education, aEd "
nav yetbe consistent as . temporary arrangement, N
their prese nt condtcc ab0Fiag laLdiess, ana no
less class, will not be objected 20 BY the nN!onA ~
pfive And Il is suggested % rot improper that n
structing loyal state government in any state
name Of the State, the boundary the SUBDIVISIONS,
constitution and the general code OF laws IS belore
rebellion be maintained, subject only TO the todhea,
made necessary by the conditions herenbeiore staU
and such Others ifany not contrayening said condit
and which may be deemed expedient by tAOse usu
the new State government.
To avoid misunderstanding, 1t may be proper 70
that this proclamation, so far az il relates state 81
ernments has no reference TO States whe2n loyal
ernments have all the while been maint ed ANA
the same reason, il may be proper 10 iuNher sy
whether members sent TO Congress rom any Sta,e >
be admitted to Eats consttuhonaly, rests eXclus
with the respective houses, and not TO any extent
the Executive. And still further tina. this prOcla
ton is Intended to present the people OF the States wh
In The national authority has been suspended,
loyal state governments have been subrefted'
mode in and BIZ which the national authority
loyal State governments may be re-establshed W
in said States or in any Of them and, while the mode
sented il tie best the Executive can suggest with his
sent Impressions must not be understood that no
possible mode would be acceptable
Given under my hand at the city Of Washington
sth day Of December, A. d. one thousand eight hund
and sixty-three, and of the independence OF
L. 81 United States of America the eighty eighth.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN
WILLIAM II. SEWARD, Secretary of State,
A book wherein to record the taking Of the above
by such persons entitled to take il, as may apply,
the custody Of - at, who IL aut
lied to administer said oath to such persons OF that
nifty and Is required TO give to every such person eq
ing Il certificate in the form below, and which cen
cate shall be, until some other mode OF proof shal
suthoritatiyey provided sufficient evidence OF the
certified to entite the rghtfu holder to the benefits
promised in said proclamation.
II do hereby certify that on the - day Of -
at = the oath prescribed by the President OF the
ted States in his proclamation of December 8 1853
duly taken subscribed, and made matter OF record
-.