Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1866-04-05
EQUALIZATION OF THE PREsI-
DENT.
Restora tion OF the Authority offhe GOV.
Sernment-- The Politicai EquaAty % ~
the States Declared. ~

1 the SLaACc 1CGAoh tas 49,
By Me President Of tie United States Of America:
Whereas, by proclamation of the 10Th and
10Th of April, 1861, the President OF the Uni
ted States in virtue If the power vested In HIM
| Inv the constitution and the laws, declared that
| the laws of the United States wereopposed and
the execution thereof obstructed in the States
| Of south Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Florida,
| Mississippi louisiana and Texas by cemblnaS
tons too powerful to be suppressed by the or
binary course of judicial proceedings, or by the
mowers vested in the marshals By the law; and
Whereas by another proclamation, made on
| the 10th day Of August in the same year, IN
pursuance of an act Of Congress approved July
l3. 1861. the inhabitants of the States OF Geor-
Ola. South Carolina, Virginia, North Carolina,
Tennessee. Alabama, Louisiana, Texas, Arkan-
saS. Mississippi and Florida, except the lnhabl-
tants of that part of the State OF Virginia lying
west of the Allegheny mountains, and such o.
Their parts of that State, and the other States
before named as mis ht maintain loyal adhe-
sion 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 declared
to be in state of instruction against the unl-
ted States, and
Whereas by another proclamation OF the first
day of July, 1862, issued in pursuance OF an
act of Congress approved June 18th, in thesame
yean the Instruction was declared to be still
existing in the States aforesaid, with the ex-
ception of certain specified countiesin the State
of Virginia and e.a E
Whereas by another proclamation, made on
the ID day of April, 1868, in pursuance of the
act of Congress of July 18th, 1861, the excep-
tons named in the proclamation of August l6,
1861. were revoked. and the inhabitants OF the
States of Georgia, South Carolina, North Car
DINA. Tennessee, Alabama, Louisiana, Texas,
Arkansas, Mississippi, Florida and Virginia,
except the forty-eight counties of Virginia de-
signated as West Virginia, and the ports of
New Orleans, Key West, Port Royal and Beau
fort, in South Carolina, were declared to be
still in a state of Instruction against the Uni
ted States; and e,t
Whereas the House Of Representatives, on
the 22d day of July, 1861, adopted resolu-
ton in the words following, namely:
q Resolped, By the House of Representatives
of the Congress of the United States, that the
present deplorable civil war has been forced
upon the country by the disunionists OF the
Southern States now in revolt against the con-
sttutional government, and in arms around the
capital. and that in this national emergency,
Congress. banishing all feelings of mere pas
sion or resentment, will recollect only its duty
to the whole country. This war is not wagel
on our part in any spirit of oppression, nor tor
any purpose of conquest or subjugation, nor
purpose of overthrowing or interfering with the
rights or established institutions of these States,
but to maintain and defend the supremacy of
the constitution and to preserve the Union,
with all its dignity, equality and rights of the
several States unimpaired. And that as soon
as those objects are accomplished, the war
ought to cease" eF.
And whereas the Senate of the United
States on the 18th day of July, 1861, adopted
a resolution in the words following, to wit
nsSUtCeu, IIistE Tue presenI uepiorauIe CIVIL
war has been forced upon the country by the dis
unionsts of the Southern States, now in revolt
against the constitutional government now I'M
der arms around the capitol That in this ma
tional emergency, Congress, banishing all feel
Ing of mere passion or resentment, Will recol-
lect only its duty to the whole country. That
this war is not prosecuted on our part In any
spirit of oppression, nor for any purpose of
conquest or subjugation, no purpose of over
throwing or interfering with the rights orestab-
lished institutions of these States, but to defend
and maintain the supremacy of the constitu ion
and all laws made in pursuance thereof, and to
preserve the Union with all the dignity, equity
and rights of the several States unimpaired.-
That as soon as these objects are accomplished
the war ought TO cease.
And whereas these resolutions though not
Joint or concurrent in form, are substantially
Identical. and az such may be regarded as hav
inc expressed the sense of Congress upon the
subject to which they relate; and,
Whereas by the proclamation of the 18th
day of June last, the Instruction IN the State
of Tennessee was declared to have been sup
pressed, the authority of the United States
therein to be undisputed, and. such United
States officers as had been duly commissioned
to be in the undisputed exerciselof their official
functions and
Whereas there now exists no organized arm
ed resistance of misguided citizens or Others to
the authority of the United States in the States
of Georgia, South Carolina, Virginia, North
Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, Louisiana Ar
kansas, Mississippi, Florida, and the laws can
be sustained and enforced therein by the
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 affairs
growing out of the amendment to the constitu-
ton of the United States prohibiting slavery
within the limits and jurisdiction of the United
States; aud
Whereas, in view If the before recited pre-
misses, it is the manifest determination of the
American people that no State Of its own will
has the right or power to go out of or separate
itself from, or be separated from the American
Union, aud that, therefore, each State ought to
remain and constitute an integral part of the
Unite, States and
Whereas tie people Of the several beforemen-
toned States have, in the manner aforesaid Civ
en- satisfactory evidence that they acquiesce in
the sovereign and important restoration of ma
tional unity and
Whereas as it is believed to be fundamen-
tai principle of government that people who
have revolted and who have been overcome and
subdued, must be dealt with so as to induce
i