The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1866-04-11
Proclamation by the President

! WASHINGTON, April 2.--Whereas, by
proclamations Of the 18th and 10Th April,
1861, the President Of the United States, in
virtue Of the power vested in him by the
constitution and laws, declared that the
laws of the United States were opposed and
the execution thereof INSTRUCTED, in the
States of S. Carolina, Georgia, Alabama,
Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas,
by combinations too powerful to be sup
pressed by the ordinary course of judicial
proceedings, Or by the powers vested in the
Marshals By law; and
Whereas, BY another proclamation,
made the 10th day of August, in the same
year, in pursuance of an act Of Congress,
approved July 18th, 1861, the inhabitants
of Georgia. South Carolina. Virginia, North
Carolina, Tennessee, Louisiana, Texas, Ar
kansas, Mississippi and Florida, except the
inhabitants OF that portion of the State OF
Virginia lying west Of the Allegheny noun
tains of each other part of that State, and
the other States before 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 disper-
|
IN instruction against the United States
and
Whereas, by another proclamation Of the
first day OF January, 1862, issuedin pursu-
ance of act Of Congress, approved June 18th,
in the same year, the instruction was de-
clared to be still existing in the States
aforesaid, with the exception of certain
specified counties in the State of Virginia.
Whereas, by another proclamation, made
on the second day Of April, 1863, in pursa-
ance of the act of Congress Of July 18th,
1861, the exceptions named in the procla-
nation of August 10th, 1861, were revoked,
and the inhabitants of the States Of GeOr-
gia, South Carolina, North Carolina Ten
nessee, Alabama, Louisiana, Texas, Arkan-
sas, Mississippi Florida, and Virginia, ex.
cept the forty.eight counties of Virginia
designated as Western Virginia, and ports
OF New Orleans, Key West, Port Royal
and Beaufort; and whereas, by another
proclamation on the first day of July, 1862,
issued in pursuance OF an act of Congress
approved June 18th, 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 procla-
nation made on the I'd of April, 1863, in
pursuance of an act of Congress of July Is,
1861, the exception named in the proclama-
ton of August is, 1861, were revoked, and
| the inability of the States of Georgia, South
Carolina North Carolina, Tennessee, Ala
bama, Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, Missis-
sippi, Florida, and Virginia, except the
forty-eight counties Of Virginia, designated
as West Virginia, aud ports of New Orleans
Key West, Port Royal and Beaufort, South
Carolina, were declared to be in state of
insurreetion against the United States;
and whereas the House Of Representatives,
on the 22d Of July, 1861, adopted resolu-
lions in the following words, viz: l5.9
RESOLVED, By the House of Representa-
tives ofthe Congress of the United States,
that the present deplorable civil war has
been forced upon the country by the disu-
nionists of the Southern States now in re-
bellion against the constitutional govern
ment, in arms around the capital;' that in
the national emergency, Congress, banish-
ing all feelings of resentment will do only
its duty to the whole country.
That this war is not waged on our part
in any spirit of oppression, nor for any pur-
pose of conquest or subjugation, nor for the
purpose of overthrowing or interfering with
the established institutions of those States,
but to maintain and defend the supremacy
of the Constitution and preserve the Union,
with all the dignity, equality and rights
OF the several States unimpaired, and as
these objects are accomplished, the war
ought to cease; and
Whereas, these resolutions, though not
joint or concurrent, form one substantially,
and may be regarded as having expressed
the views Of Congress on the subject to
which they relate, and
Whereas, by my proclamation ofthe 18th
Of June last, the instruction in the State
of Tennessee was declared to have been
suppressed, and>the authority of the United
States therein to be undisputed, and such
United States officers as has been duly
commissioned to be in the undisputed exer-
else Of their official functions; and where
as, there now exists no organized armed
resistance of misguided citizens, nor others,
to the authority of the United States in the
States of Georgia, South Carolina, Virgin
ia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama,
Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi and Flor
ida, and the law can be sustained and en-
forced therein by the propercivil authority
of the State or Federal, and the people Of
the said States are well and Loyalty dispos-
their Legislatures to the condition of affairs
growing out of the amendment to the Con-
stitution of the United States prohibiting
slavery within the limits and jurisdiction
of the United States; and whereas, in view
OF the before recited premises, it is the
manifest determination Of the American
people that no State of its own will has the
right or power to 60 ont of or separate it.
self from, or be separated from the Ameri-
can Union, and that therefore each State
ought to retain and constitute an integral
part of the United States; and
Whereas, The people of the several be-
fore mentioned States have. in the manner
aforesaid, been constantly giving satisfac-
tory evidence that they acquiesce in this
important resolution of the National Union;
and, whereas, it is believed to be the fun
damental principle of the Government that
the people who have revolted and who
have been overcome and subdued must be
dealt with so as to induce them virtually
to become friends, or else they must be held
by absolute military power so as to prevent
them from ever again doing harm as enc
mics, which last named policy was abhor-
rent to humanity and freedom; and where
as, the Constitution of the United States
provides for Constitutional Common
wealths only as States, and not as Terrific
ries, and provides protectorates and
whereas, such Constitutional States must
necessarily be, and by the Constitution and
laws of the United States are, made equals
and placed on like footing as to political
rights, immunities, dignity and favor, with
the several States with which they are uni
ted, and whereas, the observance of politi-
cal equality as a principle of right and JUS
tice is well calculated to encourage the
people of the States to be and become more
and more persevering in their renewed al
legiance, and whereas, standing military
occupation, martial law, military tribunals,
and the suspension of the privilege of the
writ OF habeas corpus are, in time of peace,
dangerous to public interest and incompat.
ible with the individual rights of citizens,
and contrary IN fhp 1anivs q nd snirit of nur