The Columbia daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1865, 1865-05-23
VOL. /. NO. 46.


other capacity. And I do {urtho.
proclaim, declare and make known
that whenever, in any Of the States OF
Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, Missis-
sippi, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia,
Florida, South Carolina and Nort.
Carolina, a number of persons not
less than one-tenth in purnber oe the
votes cast in such States at the Pres,-
dentsl election of the year OF our
Lord lsG0-each having taken the
oath aforesaid, and rot having sirse
violated it. and being a qualified voter
by the election law Of the Safe exist
ing Immediately before the so-called
act OF secession, and excluding all
others-shall re-estahIish State Go
vernmcnt, which shall be republican,
and IN no'wise contravening said oa.n,
such shall be recognized as the true
Government Of the State, an, the
State shall receive Hereunder the
benefit OF the constitutional provision
which declares that "the United States
sha'l guarantee to every State in this
Union a republican form Of Govern,
ment: and shall protect each of them
against invasion, on application Of the
Legislature, or Of the Executive when
the Legislature cannot be convened,
and against domestic violence"
And | do further proclaim, declare
and make known, that any provision
which may be adopted by such State
Government in relation to the freed
people OF such State, whic!, shall
recognize and declare i:eir permanent
freedom, provide for their education.
and WHICH may vet be consistent as :.
! temporary arrangement with their
present condition us laboring, land
less and houseless class, will not be
objected TO by the National Executive.
A"d 1t IS engaged as not improper that,
IN constructing a loyal State Govern
ment In any State, the name O; the
State, the boundary, the Subdivisions,
the constitution and the general code
OF laws, rs before the rebellion, be
maintained, subject only 70 the moai-
hcat'ons made necessary by the cor
d'tIons hereinbefore stated, and such
others, If any, not coutravening said
Conditions. ana which may be deemed
expedient by those framing the new
State Government.
TO avoid misunderstanding, it NAV
be proper to say that this proclama~
tion, SO far as it relates to State
Government, has no reference TO
States where loyal State Governments
have all the while been maintained.
And tor the same reason it may be
proper to further say, that whether
members sent to Congress from any
State shall be admitted to seats con
stitutionalIv, rests exclusively With the
respective honses, and not to any
extent with the Executive; and still
further, that proclamation is intended
to present to the people Of the States,
wherein TIE national authority has
been suspended, and loyal State
Governments have been snbvcrted, a
mode in and by which the national
authority ana loyal State Governments
may be established within said
States or in any Of them; and while
the mode presented. is the best the
Executive can suggest with his pre- .
sent impressions, ii must not be under
stood that no other possible mode
would be accepted.
Given under my hand, at the City
Of Washington, the eighth day Of De-
'cember, A. D. one thousand eight
hundred and s:x:y-three, and Of the
United States Of America the eighty
eighth. ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
BY the President:
WM. II. SEWARD, Secretary Of State.