The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1866-11-22
No. Is.
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA:
A PROCLAMATION.

PROCLAMATION.
Whereas there appears in the public prints
what purports to be proclamation of MAYOR
General Hunter, in the words and figures follow
ing, to wit:
Headquarters Department of the South,
Hilton Head, s. c., May 9. 1852
General Orders No. 1.-THE three States of
Georgia, Florida, and South Carolina, comprising
the military department of the South, having de-
Hbcratey declared themselves no longer under
the protection of the United States of America
and having taken up arms against the said United
States, it becomes military necessity to declare
them under martial law. This was accordingly
done on the 25th day of April, 1862. Slavery and
martial law in Il free country are altogether in
compatible; the persons in these three States
Georgia. Florida and South Carona-heretofore
held slaves, therefore declared forever free.
(OfciaD DAVID HUNTER,
Major General Commanding.
ED. w. SMITH, Actin Assistant Gen'l.
And whereas the sameis producing some excite
ment and misunderstanding, therefore,
l, Abraham Lincoln, President OF the United
States, proclaim and declare, that the Govern
ment of the United States had no knowledge, in
formation, or belief of an intention on the part
of General Hunter to issue such a proclamation;
nor has it yet any authentic information that the
document is genuine And further, that neither
General Hunter, nor any other commander or
person, has been authorized by the Government
of the United States to make proclamations de-
claring the slaves of any State free; and that the
supposed proclamat on, now in question, whether
genuine or false, is altogether void, so far
spect such declaration.
1 further make known that whether it be
Army and Navy, to declare the slaves of any State
or States free, and whether, at any time, in any
case it shall have become a necessary indispensa-
BILE to the maintenance of the Government, to eX-
ercise such supposed power, are questions which,
under my responsibility, reserve to myself, and
which cannot feel justified in leaving to the de-
cision of commanders in the field. These to-
tally different questions from those of police reg
ulatiOns in armies and camps.
On the sixth day of March last, by a special
message, recommended to Congress the adop-
ton OF a joint resolution to be substantially as
follows:
Resolved, That the United States ought to CO.
operate with any State which may adopt IL grad
ual abolishnent OF slavery, giving to such State
pecuniary aid, to be used by such State i'm its
discretion, to compensate for the Inconvenience
public and private, produced by such change of
system.
adopted by large maiOrities in both branches
of Congress, and now stands authciifir, de
finite, and solemn proposal of the natioi to tic
States and people NEST immediately intcrcsttd in
tine subject matter. To the people of tIoSc States
now earnestly appeal do not ar-.ue-I be-
Sctch you to make the arguments for Yourselves
You cannot, if you would, be ind to the signs
OF the time-I beg OF you calm and enlarged con-
sidcration of them. ranging, if it may he, f,iT
bove personal and PARTISAN politics. This pro-
pOsal makes common cause tor conon object,
casting no rcproacles upon amy. 1t acts not In,
P.rarisee the change it contemp!ates wou,d
gently the dews of heaven, not rcnGliig
or wrtcking anything. VIII you not embrace it?
81 much good has no. been done, by fort.
in all past tilnc, as. IN tie providence of Cos il
is your hsi privilege to d." May the vast
future not have to lament tIal you nave neglect
ed it.
In witn.ss whereof / have htrci!ufn ST .n-
hand and caused the seal o. tLe Clited Stat, 20
be affixed.
Done at the City of Washington, this HING
teenth day OF My, in the year of our Lord
L.. S one thousand eight hundred and sixty
two, and of the Independence Of the Unit
', " ABRAHAM LINCOLN
By the President:
WILLIAM H. SEWARD, Secretary of State.