The Shasta courier., 1866-04-14
Peace Proclamation.

The following is the Presidents Procla.
nation declaring peace:
WHEREAS, by proclamation on the 10th
and 18th of April, 1861. the President of the
United States, in virtue of power vested in
| him BY the Constitution and laws, declared
that the laws of the United States were op-
posed and the execution thereof obstructed,
| in the States OF South Carolina Alabama,
florida, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas.
by combination too powerful to be suppress
ed by ordinary judicial proceedings, or by
power vested in the United States officials
| by law; and, whereas, by another procla
nation, made on the 10th of August of the
same year, in pursuance of an Act of Con-
gress approved July 18th, 1861, the inhab-
itants of Georgia, South Carolina, Virgin.
ia. North Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama,
Louisiana. Texas, Arkansas. Mississippi.
and Florida. except the inhabitants of that
portion of Virginia lying west of the Ale
| ghanv Mountains, and to such other parts
of the State and the other States bofore
named as might maintain 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 the insurgents, were de-
! clared to be in state of insurrection against
the United States; and, whereas, by another
proclamation on the lst day of July, 1862
issued in pursuance of an Act of Congress
approved June 7th, the same year, the in
surrection was declared to be stil existing
in the States aforesaid, with the exception of
certain specified counties in the State of
| Virginia and, whereas, by another proc.
lamation issued on the I'd day of April,
1868, in pursuance of an Act of Congress
passed July 18th. 1861, the exceptions named
in the proclamation of August 10th. 1861,
were revoked, and the inhabitants of
Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina
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
R yal, and Beaufort. South Carolina. were
declared TO be in a state of insurrection
against the United States; and, whereas,
the House of Representatives on the 22d of
July, 1861, adopted a resolution in words
as follows, viz:
Resolred. That the present deplorable
civil war having been forced upon the coun-
try by disunonists in the Southern States
now in revolt against the Constitutional
Government of the United States, and in
arms around the capital, that in this
national emergency, Congress ban shing all
feelings of mere passion or resentment will
recolect only its duty to the whole country
that this war is not waged on our part in
any spirit Of oppression, nor for any purpose
of conquest or subiugation, nor for the pur-
pose of overthrowing nor interfering with
the rights or established institutions of
those States, and to maintai and defend the
supremacy of the Constitution and preserve
the Union with all its equality and the dig
nifty of the several States unimpaired. and
that as soon as these objects are accomplish
ed the war ought to cease: and whereas the
Senate of the United States on the Goth
of July, 1861, adopted resolution in words
! viz : The same as above; and whereas these
resolutions though not joint or concurrent
in form. are substantially identical and such
may be regarded as having been the ex-
| pressed wish of Congress upon the subject,
to which they relate; and whereas by my
proclamation of the 18th of January last,
the insurrection in the State Of Tennessee,
was declared TO have been suppressed-the
authority of the United States therein to
| be undisputed, and such officers as had been
! deputed to the unrestricted exercise of their
official functions; and whereas there now
exists no organized armed resistance of
misguided citizen, or others to the authority
of the United States in the States of Geor
gia, Virginia, North Carolina, South Car
olina, Tennessee. Alabama, Louisiana, Ar
kansas, Mississippi, Texas and Florida,
and the laws can be sustained and enforced
therein by the people, civil authority of the
| State of Federal Government, and the peo
| Pile of said States are well and loyalty dis
posed, and have confirmed, or will confirm
in their legislation of affairs growing out of
the Amendment of the Constitution Of the
| United States prohibiting slavery within
| the limits of jurisdiction of the United
States and whereas in consideration of
these before cited premises it is the manifest
determination of the American people that
no State of its own will have the right to
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, the people of the several before
mentioned States have, in the manner
named, given satisfactory evidence that
| they acquiesce in the restoration of the ma
| tional unity and whereas, it is believed to
be fundamental principles of the Govern
ment that people who have revolted and
have been overcome and subdued, must be SO
dealt with as to induce them voluntarily to
become friends, or else they must be held
| by absolute military power or else so devas-
tate as to forever prevent them from doing
harm as enemies, which last named policy
is abhorrent to humanity and freedom and
whereas, the Constitution of the United
! States provides for constitutional convent
tions only as States and not as Territories
and whereas, their consent must necessarily
be had by the Constitution of the United
States as placed on proper footing as the
rights of communities demand, and provided
with the several powers with which they are
governed, and which political policy is the
principle of right and justice we'll calculat
ed to induce the people Of the said States to
become more constant in their renewed
allegiance and whereas, the standing army.
military occupation, military law, military
tribunals and suspension of the writ Of
habeas corpus are in time Of peace danger.
ous to public liberty and Incompatible with
the individual rights of persons, contrary to
the genius of our institutions and exhaustive
of the National resources. and ought not,
| therefore, to be sanctioned or allowed ex
cept in cases of actual necessity for repeIling
invasion, or for the suppression of treason !;
aud. whereas, the Government of the United
States. from the beginning of insdrr ction
to its suppression, has been carried on in
conformity with the principles henceforth
enumerated, therefore, l, Andrew johnson.
President of the United States, do hereby
proclaim and declare. that the insurrection