Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1865-04-22
PROCLAMATION.

whereas, IN and by the Constitution OF the united
States provided that the Pres dent shall have power
q grant preves and pardons for offences against the
United states except in cases Of Impeachment" and
whereas rebellion now exists whereby the IoysI
State governments Of several states have Tor long TINE
been subvered and many persons have committed and
now guilty OF treason against the United States and
Whefcas with reference TO said rebellion and treason,
laws have been enacted by Congress, declaring forfeit
ures and cOnlsCaiOn Of properly aud Liberation OF slaves
al uD8u terms and conditions therein stated and also de-
cang that the President thereby authorized az any
time thereafter by proclamation 10 extend TO persons
who may have participated in the existing rebellion in
any stale OF part thereof pardon and amnesty with such
exceptions aud IL such times and such conditions as
he may deem eNpedent for the public welfare, and
Whereas the congressional declaration for limited and
conditional pardon accOrds with weestablshed judicial
exposition Of the pardOning power and
Whereas, with reference TO said rebellion, the Presl
dent Of the United States has issued several proclama
tons with provisions in regard to the liberation OF slaves
and
Whereas it is now des red by persons heretofore
engaged in said rebellion 70 resume their allegiance to
the United states and 50 relnauguate loyal Sate govern
mens within and for their respective States therefore,
ABRAHAM LINCOLN President of the United states,
do proclaim declare, and make known TO all persons who
have directly by implication participated IN the exist
ing rebellion except hereinafter excepted that iul
pardon hereby granted TO them and each OF the with
restoration of all rights Of property except as to slaves
and in property where rights of third parties shall
have interviewed and upon the condition that every such
person shall take and subscribe OATH and thenceioT
ward keep and maintain said oath inyioate and which
oath shall be registered 0r permanent preservation, and
a. --, DO 30 EMMY swear, IN IT, s}nce OF Al-
mighty God, tina I viii heuctf'Uh faithfully support
protect and defend the COIst tuition Of the United >iatei
ant t5C union VI the States Hereunder, mo tIaJ NIL
IN Ike manner abide by and faithfully SUPP all acts Of
Congress pas turcg The existing rebellion hl.A Ieitr'
enC9 20 slaves so long and - not repealed mOd7'
fed held void by Congress or ty decision Of tie Su'
preme Count, and that viii in Ike manner, abide by
and faithfully support an proclamation. O., the President
made during the existing rebellion hHng reference 70
slaves long and so far as not modified or declared void
by decision OF the supreme Court 50 help me God"
The persons excepted from the benefits oil the foregoing
provisions All who are shall have BEEN civil or dplO
matte officer, agents Of the socaled Confederate Cow
erument all who have left judicial stations under the
United States to aid the rebellion all who are or shall
have BEEN military naval officers Of said so-caed
Confederate Government above the rank OF colonel in The
army OF lieutenant 10 the navy all who left seats 10
the United States Congress 70 aid the rebellion all who
resigned commissions in the army navy Of the United
States and forwards aided the rebellion; and all who
have engaged in any way in treating coored persons or
white persons IN charge Of such otherwise than lawfully
prisoners Of and which persons may have beef
found in the United States service soldiers eamen, OF
in any other capacity.
And do further proclaim, declare, aud make known
that in any OF the states OF Arkansas TeXas,
Louis ana Mississippi Tennessee, Alabama Georgia Flor
ida Sjuth Cirousand N Carolina number of persons,
not than tenth IN number OF the votes cast in such
Stat, 40 the Presidential election of the year OF Lord
thous nd eight hundred and sixty each having taken
the oath Aforesaid and not having since violated Sand
being aQualided voter by the election law of the State
existing Immediately before the Bo-caled act Of secession
and excluding others shall Teestsblish State gov.
eminent which shall he republican, and in no wise con
trayeniug ssd OATH such shall be recognized the TRUE
g0y,r uent OF the state, and the State shan receive
Hereunder the he1ets Of the constitutional provision
which declares that The United STATES shaI guarGnll
% every Stae in this Union a republicans form OF
government 2nd shall protect each OF them against in
VBsiou and application OF the legislature, the
ecutye, when che Legislature cannot be covered.
against domestic violence
AND 10 further proclaim, declare and make known
that any provision which may he adopted by suol
81 te government relation 70 the freed people Of such
State which shall recognize and declare their Perma
ueat freedom, provide for tleir education and which
nay, ct be consistent rs temporary management, with
their present condition az lHbOrnr, anless, and home
les class will not be objected 90 - the national Exec
utye And % Is suggested not improper that In
stulctnr loyal STATE government any state, the
name OF she STATE tie boundary the subdivisions the
constitution and the general code of laws before the
rebellion, be maintained subject only to the notifications
made necessary by the conditions hereinbefore stated
and such Others any not oontrayenng said conditions
and which may be deemed eZpedient by those framing
the new State government.
TO avoid misunderstanding IL may be proper 70 say
thar this PROCLAMATION 80 far as il relates 70 state gov
ernmens hes reference 10 States wherein loyal gov
ernments have all the while been maintained. And for
the reason, II may be proper TO further say that
whether members sent to Congress from any State shall
be admitted seats cousttntonay, rests exclusively
with the respective houses and not to any extent with
the Executive. And st further that this proclart-
ton is intended 70 present the people ofthe States whe
in the national authority has been suspended, and
koyal State governments have been subyerted, a
mode in and by which the national authority and
loyal state governments may be reestablshed with.
in said States any Of them and while the mode pre-
scented the best the Executive can suggest with his pre-
sent Impressions it must not be understood that other
possible mode would be acceptable
GiverSndeI ny hand at the city Of Washington The
9Th day OF December A. n one thousand eight hundred
and siKty-three. and Of the independence Of the
Ia 81 United States ofAmeica the eighty-eghth
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
WILLIAM II. SEWARD, Secretary of STATE
book wherein 10 record the taking CT the above oath
By such persons entitled 70 take may apply, is in
the custody of -- at -, who s suth0s-
zed TO administer said oath such persons Of that Wei
nifty and required 20 give 70 every such person request
ing it certificate in the form below, and which oeif
cafe shall be. until other mode Of proof shall be
authorstvey provided sufficient evidence Of the facts
certified to outc the ghtful holder 10 the benefits as
promised ia said proclamation.
Il do hereby certify that on the - day Of - 1856,
at the oath prescribed by the President of the UNI
ted States 10 his proclamation Of December g. 1853
duly taken subscribed and made matter Of record by
- of -"