Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1865-05-17
RICHMOND WING.
MORNING MAY II, 1865
By THE PRAsIDENT.
A PROCLAMATION.


Whereas in and by the Constitution Of the
United states, &c is provided tnat the FIeslSen'
"shall have power % grant uprieyes ana PAEuOus
f,r offences AGAINST the United States except IN
eases OF impeachment ana ,,.. .h0
Whereas a rebellion now exists whereby the
loyal state Governments Of several States nave
foy a long time been subverted, aud many persons
have committed and are now guilty OF treason
against the United states; ana
'Wbereas. with reference 20 said rebellion anu
tra,soo laws have been enacted by Congress
declaring forfeitures and cOnhscation OF properly
and liberation OF slaves. all upon terms ana con
tions therein stated. and also declaring that the
President was thereby authorized At any time
thereafter by proclamation, 10 extend 70 per
sous who may nave participated in the existing
rebellion in any state or part thereof pardon anu
amnesty, with such exceptions aud % sueh uiheN
and on sucn conditions as he may deem eXpeal-
ent for the public welfare, and
Whereas the congressional declaration lol nm
tied aud conditional pardon accOrds win ven
established jndicial exposition Of the pardoning
Wheress. with reference to said rebellion the
President of the United States has issued several
proclamations, with provisions IN tegAa 10 'Ae
Liberation of slaves anu -.
49,, sn,,,,.J i'm said rebellion 20 resume their
sUsgianre t9 the United States, and 20 reinaugu-
ltaloval State governments within and Tor theF
respective states; therefore ,-...s
i AERAH1N LINCOLN, President OF The United
STAGES DO proclaim. declare, and maze known 70
am persons whOmsOeye directly or oy lmphcaton'
participated in the existing reDeiuoh' except a.
I.rsinaffpr excepted. that tull pardon Is heFeoE
..rtnt.l IN them and each Of them, with restora'
ION ~ AN RIGHTS Of property, EXCEPT a. 20 slaves,
srJ j., ,-,p4ftv cases where rights OF third par
ti.s shall have interviewed. and upon the cohdl'
non that every such person SHAH take ana sue,
scribe an oath, aud theuceiorWaTd keep ana
MAINTAIN said oath iuyiOlste and which oath
shall he registered for permanent preservation,
anil shall be OF the tenor an effect following 10
WI. ....
q A,i-btv tod. that | will hencefOrth faith
fuuy support protect Snd defend the COnsttnuoh
of the United states, and the union oil the otatSs
hereunder. and that will, IN like manner aolle
bv sni faithfully supper. all acts oil congress
,,s.ssd dining the existing rebellion with refer
snce % slaves so long and 80 for as not ieleSI'
cd, modified or held void by Congress or ~ DC
son Of toe supreme Court aud tnat VIII III
like manner, abide by and faithfully support al
uroclama,iOus of the President maue uGtlue 'Ne
existing rebellion hFing reference 70 saves. -
long and 50 far as not modified OF declaIeI 'OI" '
hv decision OF the Supreme Court 80 nelP N4s
r.. pe-sons executed from the benefits OF the
foregoing provisions are all who are OF shall nav
ba,n civil or diplomatic officers OF agents OF the
s9.caliad Confederate Government; all VINO nave
81, ;-5irial stations under the United states 10
ala the rebellion; all who are, or shah nave oeen'
military or naval officers Of said so-eaieu Oon
fs5srafe Government above the rank OF colonel IN
the army or OF Lieutenant in the navy All "n1
left seats in the United States Congress 70 aiu
che rebellion all who resigned commissions IN
IN ,r rsvy nj the United States and alter
wards aided the rebellion and al VINO nave
engaged ia any way in treating colored persons
or white persons m charge OF such, otherNlSS
than laWiullyas prisoners OF war, anu wiz
rersons NAV have been found N the Onl.eL 9taIea
service as soldiers, seamen' OF ~ any othef c.
And do further proclaim, declare, and make
knowp. that xheneveg, in any OF the states OF
Arkansas, Texas, louisiana, Mississippi lehnes'
.sa Alabama. Georgia, Florida, South CarOiiha
ana n Carolina, a number OF PERSONS, not rs
L4n one tenth IN number Of the votes cast IN suoh
state az .he Presidential election OF the year %
our L ord one thousand eight hundred anu sixty
.4.b having taken the oath aforesaid and nOtha'-
ms since violated H. and being aqualihed voter
Is the election law of The state existing imme-
d'a-ely before the sO-called act Of secession anu
excluding all Others, shall re-establish u STATE
government which shall b. republican, and IN 10
.yisa r1ntravening said oath, such shall BE- Tecog
ned az the true government OF the state, ana
fla state shall receive Hereunder the beneutS
of the constitutional provision which declares
ttat 4rhe United states shall guaranty % every
safe iu this Union republican form OF gov
esumaut. and shall protect each OF them against
INVASION. and on application Of the legislature
OK the executive when the legislature cahhol
LIE convened) against domestic violence
And do further proclaim, declare, and MAKE
tpoyvu that any provision which may be adopt
81 by such state government IN relation 10 the
reed people Of such State which shall recog'
nize and declare their permanent freedom pre-
vide for their education, and when may yeI
be consistent as a temporary arrangement Wlth
heir present condition as a labOring, landless,
ma homeless class, viii not be objected to by
he national Executive. And il is suggested as
not improper that in constructing loyal state
government in any state, the name OF the sue
.he boundary, the subdivisions, the constitution
ana the general code Of laws, as before the reOe-
lion be maintained, subject only 70 the modhca-
lions made necessary by the conditions herein
before stated. and such others II any not contra
vauiar said conditions, and which may be deemed
sxpedieut Dy those framing the new state gov
ernment
To avoid misunderstanding, it may be proper
90 say that this proclamation so Tar a. II relates
10 state governments has no reference 20 states
,yberein loyal governments have al the while |
been maintained And for the same reason, |
II NAV be proper TO further say, that whether |
members sent 70 Congress from any state shall
he admitted q seats constitusonAly' rests ex'
cIusiyely with the respective houses and not 10 /
snv extent With the executive. Aud still tur-
Their that this proclamation ia intended 70 pre-
sent the people OF the states wherein the national
authority has been suspended and loyal state
Governments have been subyerted, mode in
and 5y which the national authority and loyal L
state governments may be re-estaollshed With
in said States, OF in any Of them; and, while the
mode presented IS the best the Executive can
suggest with his present impressions, il must not
he understood that no other dOssible node would
be acceptable
Given under my hand ~ the city Of washing
ton The sth day Of December. A. D. one thousand
eight hundred and siXty-three, and Of the indie
usndenec Of the United States Of Ameri-
I -. > ca ,he eighty-eghth.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
Nrr.rr..- N EEr I'm SnrraflrN Of Staia