Delaware State journal and statesman., 1865-03-31
a PROCLAMATION

A PROCLAMATION
| whereas, the twenty-lirst section of the act of
Congress, approved on the Sd inst, entitled "an
act TO amend the several acts heretofore passed.
to provide for the enrolling and calling out of
the national forces and for other purposes - re-
quircs that, in addition to the other lawful pen. .
alties Of the crime of deserton from the military
or naval service, " all persons who have desert
cd the military or naval service of the United
States, who shall not return to said service
or report themselves to n Provost Marshal, with
in sixty days after the proclamation hereinafter
mentioned, shall be deemed and taken TO have
voluntarily reinquished aud forfeited their
rights of citizenship and their rights to become
citizens, and such deserters shall be forever
incapable of holding any ollise of trust or
profit under the United States, or of ex-
eroising any rights of citizens thereof; and
| all persons who shall hereafter desert the mill.
tary or naval service. and all persons who be-
ing duly enrolled, shall depart the jurisdiction
of the district in which he s enrolled, or 20 be-
yond the limits of the United States with in
tent to avoid any draft into the military or mn
val service duly ordered, shall be liable to the
penalties Of this section. And the President is
hereby authorized and required forthwith on
the passage of this aCr to issue his proclamation,
setting forth the provisions of this section, in
which proclamation the President is requested
to notify all deserters returning within sixty
days, as aforesaid, that they shall be pardoned
on condition of returning to their regiments and
companies, or to such other organizations as they
may be assigned to, until they shall have
served for period of time equal to their original
term of enlistment
Now, therefore be it known that l. Abrahan
Lincoln, President of the United States,
do issue this my proclamation, US required
by said act, ordering and requiring all
deserters TO return to tfeir proper posts;
ana | do hereby notify them that nil de-
serters who shall, within sixty days from the
date of this proclamation. viz, on or before the
tenth day of May, 1865, return to service, or
report themselves to provost marshal, shall be
pardoned, on condition that they return to their
regiments and companies, or TO such other or
ganizations as they may be assigned to- and
serve the remainder OF their original terms OF
enlistment, aud in addition thereto period
equal to the time lost by drsertion
In testimony whereof have hereunto set nv
hand and caused the seal Of the United States to
be affixed.
Done at tho city of Washington this Ilth day
of March, in the year of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and sixty-iiye, aud Of tho indie
pendence of the United States the eighty-nnth.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
By the President
WILLIAM u. SEWARD, Secretary of Stale.
The records nnd returns of these deseriers
will be made up in the same manner as is pro-,
vided for in other cases by existing regulations,
except that it will be noted on the book of de-
serters arrested, opposite the name of the de-
serter, tue fact of his having voluntarily sur.
rendered himself in conformity with the Presi-
dents Proclamation and the number thus sur
rendering themselves to be separately stated on
the report to this office.
The Secretary of War directs, that no reward
be paid for the arrest of leserters who may be
arrested subsequent to the receipt Of this order
by tho District Provost Mnrshals.
JAMES b. Fay,
mhl7-2t. Propos, Mtrshai Gcneyol