The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1866-04-10
PEACE DECLAR ed
Proclamation by the President,
WASHINGTON, April 2, 1865.
By The President Of the United States-a
Proclamation:

III EnEAc, DJ pIOclaHuaGIOH On Inc
fifteenth and nineteenth of April, one
thousand eight hundred aud sixty-one, the
President of the United States, in virtue
of the power vested in him by the Con-
stitution and the laws, declared that the
laws of the United States were opposed
and the execution thereof INSTRUCTED in
the States of South Carolina, Georgia,
Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana
and Texas, by combinations too powerful
to be suppressed by the ordinary course
of judicial proceedings or by the powers
vested in the marshals by law; and
WHEREAS, By another proclamation
made on the 10th day of August in the
same year, in pursuance Of an act Of Con-
gress approved July 13, 1861, the inhab-
itants of Georgia, South Carolina, Vir-
GINA, North Carolina, Tennessee, Ala:
bama, Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, Mis-
and Florida; except the inhabi-
of that part of the State Of Vir-
GINA lying west of the Allegheny noun
tains, and to such other parts of that
State and the other States before named
as might maintain a loyal adhesion to the
Union and the Constitution, or might be
from time to time occupied and controlled
by the forces of the United States engaged
in the dispersion of insurgents, were de-
clared to be in a state of Instruction
against the United States; and,
WHEREAS, By another proclamation
on the 1st dayof July, 1862, issued in
pursuance of an act of Congress approx
ed June Z, in the same year, the Insured.
ton was declared to be still existing in
the States aforesaid, with the exception
of certain specified counties in the State
of Virginia; and,
WHEREAS, By another proclamation
made on the I'd day of April, 1863 in
pursuance Of the act of Congress Of July
%, 1861, the exceptions named in the
proclamation of August 16, 1861, were
revoked, and the inhabitants of the States
of Georgia, South Carolina, North Caro-
lima, Tennessee, Louisiana, Texas, Ar
kansas, Mississippi, Florida and Virginia,
except the forty-eight counties of Vir-
GINA designated as West Virginia, and
the ports Of New Orleans, Key West, Port
Royal and Beaufort, S. c.; and,s
WHEREAS, By another proclamation,
on the 1st day of July. 1862, issued in
pursuance of an act of Congress, approx
ed June II. Of the same year, the insur-
~rection was declared to be still existing in
the States aforesaid, with the exception of
certain specified counties in the State Of
Virginia; and,
WHEREAS, By another proclamation,
made on the I'd of April, 1868, in pursu-
ance of an &C. of Congress of July Is,
1851, the exceptions named in the proc
lamation of August IL, 1861, were re-
yoked, and the inhabitants of the States
of Georgia, South Carolina, North Caro-
lima, Tennessee, Alabama, Louisiana,
Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi. Florida and
Virginia, except the forty-eight counties
of Virginia designated as West Virginia,
and the ports of New Orleans, Key West,
Port Royal and Beaufort, in South Caro-
lima, were declared to be in a state of in.
surrection against the United States; and,
WHEREAS, The House of Represents
tives, on January %, 1861, adopted a
resolution in the words following, viz:
aResolved, By the House Of Represen-
of the Congress..of the Uaited
that the present deplorable civil
war has been forced upon the country by
the disunionists Of the Southern States,
now in rebellion against a constitutional
and in arms around the cap
ital, that in this national emergency Con-
gress, banishing all feelings of resent
ment, will do only its duty 70 the whole
country; that this war is not waged on
our part in any spirit Of oppression, nor
for any purpose of conquest or subjuga-
ton, nor for the purpose of overthrowing
Or interfering with the established iusti-
of those States, but to maintain
and defend the purity of the Constitu-
lion, and to preserve the Union with all
its dignity, equality, and the rights of.the
several States unimpaired; and as soon as
are accomplished, the wal ought to
and,
WHEREAS, The Senate of the United
States, on the 18th of July, 1861, adopt
ID a similar resolution; and,
WHEREAS, These resolutions, though
rot joint or concurrent, may be regarded
is having expressed the sense of Con-
yress upon the subject to which they re-
ate; and,
WHEREAS, By my proclamation of the
9th of June last, the Instruction in the
State of Tennessee was declared to have
been suppressed, the authority of the
United States therein to be u~ndisputed,
ind such United States officers as had
been duly commissioned to be in the un-
exercise Of their official func-
lions; and,
WHEREAS, There now exists no organ
zed, armed resistance Of misguided citi-
.ens nor others to the authority of the
United States in the States of Georgia,
south Carolina, Virginia. North Carolina.
Tennessee, alabama, Louisiana, Arkan-
Mississippi and Florida, and the laws
AN be sustained and enforced therein by
he proper civil authority, State or Fed
raj, and the people of said States are
yell and Loyalty disposed, and have con-
ormed or will conform in their legisla-
ion to the condition of affairs growing
ut of the amended Constitution of the
United States, prohibiting slavery within
he limits and jurisdiction of the United
states; and,
WHEREAS, In view of the before reci-
cd premises, it is the manifest determi-
Iation of the American people that no
tate. Of its " will. shall have the right