Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1866-04-28

unrestricted exercise of the official func.
tions; and
WHEREAS, There now exists no organ
lied armed resistance of misguided citi-
zens or others to the authority of the
United States in the States of Georgia,
Virginia, North Carolina, South Caro-
lima, Tennessee, Alabama, Louisiana,
Arkansas, Mississippi Texas and Florida
and the laws can be sustained and en-
forced therein by proper civil. authority,
state or federal, and the people of the
said states are well and Loyalty disposed
and have conformed or will conform in
their Legislation to the condition of af-
fairs growing out of the amendment to
the Constitution of the United States
prohibiting 7lavery within the limits
and jurisdiction of the United States;
and ,r'wE r- % @4
WHEREAS, In consideration of these
before cited premises, it is the manifest
determination of the American people
that no State of its own will has right
to go out of, or separate itself, or be
separated from the American Union,
and that therefore each State ought to
remain and constitute an integral part
of the United States; and
WHEREAS, People of the several be-
fore mentioned States, have in the man
ner aforesaid, given satisfactory evi-
dence that they acquiesce in this sove-
reign and important restoration of the
National unity; and
WHEREAS, IL is believed to be the
fundamental principle of the Govern
ment that the people who have revolted,
and have been overcome and subdued,
must so be dealt with as to induce them
voluntarily to become friends, or else
they must be held by absolute military
power, or else so devastated as to for
enemies, which last named policy is alb
horrent to humanity and freedom; and
WHEREAS, The Constitution of the
United States provides Tor the constitu.
tional communities only as States, and
not as Territories, dependencies or pro-
tectorates; and,
WHEREAS, Their consent must neces.
sarily, aid by the Constitution of the
United States be, placed on like foot
ing as 10 rights, immunities, dignity
and power with the several powers with
which hey are governed, and which the
politicd policy is the principles of right
and Justice well calculated TO induce the
peopleof the said States to become
more and more constant in their re-
newed allegiance; and,
WHEREAS, Standing armies, military
oceupstion, military law, military tri-
bunab, and the suspension of the writ
of kaledS corpus, are, in times of peace,
dangerous to public liberty, and incom-
patihe with the individual rights OF
persons, and contrary to the genius OF
our free institutions, and exhaustive OF
| the national resources, and ought not
| therefore to be sanctioned or allowed,
except in cases of actual necessity, for
repelling an invasion or for the suppress
siop of treason; and
WHEREAS, The Government of the
United States, from the beginning OF
the insurrection to its suppression, has
been in conformity with principles here
in set forth and enumerated;
Therefore, I, Andrew johnson, Presi-
dent of the United States, do hereby
proclaim and declare that the insurrec
tion which has heretofore existed in the
States of Georgia, South Carolina,
North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee,
Alabama, Louisiana, Arkansas, Missis-
sippi and Florida is at an end, and
henceforth to be so regarded.
In testimony whereof have hereun-
to set my hand and caused the seal of
the United States to be affixed.
Done at the city of Washington this
second day of April in the year of our
Lord A. d. 1866, and of the Independ-
ence of the United States of America
the nineteenth. fF.r
(Signed) ANDREW JOHNSON.
By the President:
WIN. Fl. SEWARD, Sec'y of State.